Could Leeds United getting promoted this season give them a chance of being able to bring James Milner back to Elland Road?
Of all of the players who Leeds have watched leave Elland Road since their dramatic plight began shortly after the turn of the Millennium, one player’s return has arguably been the one that the supporters have craved more than any other.
James Milner returning to Leeds after leaving in 2004 would undoubtedly be a hugely significant deal. Though the midfielder is not the kind of player who regularly grabs the headlines, he has arguably rarely got the credit he has deserved during his career, having been one of the most reliable performers in the Premier League for more than a decade.
His return, if it ever happened, would be confirmation that Leeds are back, because he appears to be a player who could play in the top flight for the rest of his career – his reinvention as a left-back at Liverpool last season surely proves that he could a Premier League players until he calls time on his playing days.
But if Leeds ever want to land Milner while he is virtually at the top of his game, then surely a recent report from The Telegraph just hints that getting promoted this season is a must.
Milner has struggled for game-time for the Reds this season. And while Jurgen Klopp wants to keep him, The Telegraph reports that his future is likely to be considered next summer, and with Naby Keita arriving during that window to make the path to a central midfield spot even more congested, Milner leaving Merseyside may well be an option on the table.
And should that be the option the Reds and Milner ultimately decide on, surely Leeds getting promoted is a must if they hope to bring him back before he is too far past his best.
Should Milner move elsewhere, Leeds would perhaps have to forget about being able to land the 31-year-old for a few years by which time he will be well into the twilight of his career, when a deal would perhaps be more of a nostalgia-inducing, feel-good move rather than a transfer that could help Leeds really kick on.
Milner has previously spoken about his desire to one day return to Leeds – in comments by the Yorkshire Evening Post back in May – and so, it would certainly not be unthinkable to imagine that he would be keen on making the move next summer – and accepting the considerably less lucrative contract that would surely be on the table – if Liverpool suggested that they cannot guarantee him minutes and Leeds managed to get themselves promoted and made it clear that he could be a focal point of the side.
A lot of factors do need to fall into place for the fairytale return to take place. Leeds now need to start doing their bit and get themselves promoted out of the Championship.
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