Jurgen Klopp has hinted that James Milner could be in line for a new contract at Liverpool as he saluted the value of “Mr Professional".
The versatile 33-year-old is into his fifth season at Anfield and one more campaign would see the Reds become the club he has stayed with longest.
Having previously turned out for Leeds, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Manchester City, a man snapped up as a free agent in 2015 has proved to be a shrewd addition.
Klopp is still finding a prominent role for Milner, with his ability to operate in a number of different positions making him a useful asset to the collective cause.
The former England international is due to see his current deal expire in the summer of 2020, as he heads towards free agency, but more high praise from his manager suggests fresh terms will be discussed.
Next Match
Quizzed on the value of Milner, Klopp told reporters of a player who skippered a youthful Reds side to a third round Carabao Cup victory over MK Dons on Wednesday: “Milly is unbelievably important.
“He is Mr Professional, that’s how it is. He’s very serious in all the things he does, but very funny in the dressing room.
“In a game like this with MK Dons, for example, you go there and play with five kids and six first-teamers. The others didn’t even travel.
“There could be kind of a feeling that ‘oh, we play MK Dons, thank you very much boss!’ But there was no chance of that with James, or with Adam Lallana, or Hendo if he would have been there. From the first moment; if we are here, we give our everything.
“He’s a role model for the young boys. Not only the young boys actually. He’s had an exceptional career so far and he looks like he has a few more years in the locker.
“Contract situations, we don’t talk about here. But we are really happy to have him.”
Milner will also feel that he does have “a few more years” left in him, with there no indication that he is about to start slowing down as he closes in on the 200-appearance mark for Liverpool.