Liverpool sign James Milner on free transfer after midfielder rejects Manchester City terms

Liverpool moved to get their transfer business done early by capturing Manchester City midfielder James Milner
The England international wants to play more centrally at Liverpool
News comes as a major coup for under-fire manager Brendan Rodgers
Milner’s deal is estimated to be in the region of £110,000 a week
READ: Five things Rodgers has to do at Liverpool to move forward
Transfer news: CLICK HERE for all the latest

Published:
08:32 GMT, 4 June 2015

|
Updated:
12:07 GMT, 4 June 2015

398

View
comments

Liverpool have confirmed that they will sign Manchester City midfielder James Milner on a free transfer.

The 29-year-old held positive talks with the Merseyside club this week and rejected a new £165,000-a-week deal at the Etihad Stadium – as reported by Sportsmail on Wednesday.

The news is a major boost for Brendan Rodgers, who has come under fire after Liverpool dropped down to sixth place in the Premier League and missed out on the Champions League.

Milner, who is with the England squad ahead of the friendly with the Republic of Ireland and Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia, will join at the beginning of July subject to a medical.

James Milner, on England duty this week, is heading to Liverpool after turning down Man City’s offer

Milner and the England players were put through their paces at St George’s Park on Thursday morning

Milner, training alongside Wayne Rooney, could feature against the Republic of Ireland and Slovenia

Manchester City midfielder Milner will sign for Liverpool after holding ‘positive talks’

The news about the England midfielder represents a coup for Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers

Sign of things to come: Milner mocked up in a Liverpool shirt ahead of joining the club

Milner is thought to have penned a deal worth a basic wage of around £110,000 a week at Anfield.

A Liverpool statement read: ‘The Reds have agreed personal terms with the England international, who will join the club on a free transfer on July 1 after his contract at the Etihad Stadium has expired.

‘Milner will arrive at Anfield having lifted two Barclays Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup during his five-year spell with City.

‘The 29-year-old is also firmly established as a regular for England and has notched 53 caps to date.

‘Having also represented Leeds United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, Milner has lined up against Liverpool 24 times in total during the course of his career.’

Rodgers was told he was keeping his job on Tuesday following a disappointing season at Anfield in which last year’s Premier League runners-up failed to qualify for Europe’s premier competition.

At a meeting with Liverpool chairman Tom Werner and Fenway Sports Group chief executive Mike Gordon, a comprehensive plan for next season, which included the capture of Milner and Burnley striker Danny Ings, was discussed.

Milner, who has played in a number of positions for City, is keen to star in central midfield and has been convinced that his best chance of minutes in that role lies on Merseyside rather than in Manchester or at Arsenal.

The 29-year-old Milner has played more than 50 games for England and featured 45 times for City last season

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner met Rodgers this week to discuss the season and Milner’s potential arrival

Liverpool are also interested in capturing Burnley striker Danny Ings, who is out of contract

Milner’s departure from City could see the club step up their attempts to sign Raheem Sterling from Liverpool

The news will come as a blow to City. As well as playing 45 times this season, Milner is one of the few homegrown players at the club.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini said in March: ‘It would be very difficult to find a more complete player than [James] Milner. There are players who are better technically. There are quicker players.

‘There are players who head the ball better. But show me a player who does all the things that Milner does well and there isn’t one.

‘And whatever position I put him in he plays well: at full back – which is the only place he doesn’t like playing– attacking midfield, wide, or as a striker. I used him this season as a forward and the team was scoring three goals a game.

‘You leave him on the bench and he is furious, but watch him during the game, encouraging and shouting. And in the next training session he kills it for 95 minutes.

‘It’s very difficult to find another Milner – an intelligent player, with big balls and a massive heart.’

Meanwhile, this from the Boring James Milner Twitter account

Boring James Milner – @BoringMilner – is a popular parody account which portrays Milner as the dullest player in the game. At the time of Milner agreeing his Liverpool move, ‘Boring James’ had more than 400,000 followers. The real James has taken it all in good fun and last Christmas starred in a video living up to the tag.

Brendan Rodgers said Do you want to sign for Liverpool? I said I’ll think about it. Then I thought about it, then I said Yes. He said Great.

— Boring James Milner (@BoringMilner) June 4, 2015