James Milner has reportedly agreed to join Brighton & Hove Albion this summer, with the Liverpool midfielder set to join the Premier League side on a pre-contract.
According to Sky Sports News, a deal to bring the 37-year-old midfielder to the south coast as been all but agreed, with Brighton keen to balance out their squad of exciting young talents with experienced heads who know the Premier League inside-out.
Milner, who is currently playing his 21st season in the English top-flight, has been a regular for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, with the versatile midfielder playing a key role in the Reds Premier League and UEFA Champions League title wins.
However, with Liverpool set to overhaul the midfield with a flurry of summer signings, Milner’s departure will allow the Merseyside giants to refresh the squad with a younger option, with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain expected to follow suit.
Lauded as ‘phenomenal’ by former Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor, Milner’s impact at Liverpool cannot be understated, and whilst the time is now right for the midfielder to move on from Anfield, replacing the midfielder could be a harder task than some people might expect.
Milner leaving for Brighton leaves versatile midfield void for Liverpool
Milner’s greatest strength for Liverpool over the last few seasons has been his versatility, with the midfielder filling in in what has felt like every outfield position at least once in his career on Merseyside, and the Reds will struggle to replace a player as good as the former England international.
Whilst there are options out there in the market, few could compete with Milner in just how useful the midfielder has been for Klopp in recent years, and replacing the 37-year-old could actually be quite the challenge or Liverpool this summer.
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