Why Liverpool’s James Milner should be watching Leeds closely

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Leeds United wanted Liverpool’s James Milner back last summer.

Liverpool have made a perfect start to the new Premier League season, winning all four of their games so far, and they’ll be hoping to win trophies this term.

Jurgen Klopp clinched the Champions League trophy in June, and will now look to win the Premier League title having lost out to Manchester City in last season’s title race.

Liverpool didn’t really do much business in the summer, instead going with what they have – but contract talks for their current stars will be important soon.

Joel Matip, Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana and James Milner are all out of contract at the end of the season, and they will need to decide whether or not to renew those deals.

Matip will be the most important, but Milner has been key for Liverpool for more than four years now, and as he approaches 34, his future is up in the air.

Before Milner commits to Liverpool, he should have one eye on the progress of Leeds United, with his boyhood club push for a return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa.

The Daily Mail noted that Leeds wanted Milner back this past summer, but their playoff failure and another season in the Championship meant that a deal became impossible.

Now, Leeds are looking like the favourites for the Championship title. There’s a strong chance that the Whites will finally return to the top flight next season, and that will give Milner plenty to think about.

He should certainly be interested in a move back to his hometown club, and he would be looking to do it whilst he is still an effective player, rather than heading back towards the dying embers of his career.

It may be now be heading towards a last chance saloon situation, where Milner’s time to make a worthwhile return to Elland Road is running out – and with his contract up next summer, he should be watching Leeds’ results and factoring them into his future.

Milner may want to end his time at Liverpool with a Premier League title, but having won the Champions League earlier this year, a return to Leeds may give him a new challenge and an emotional move back to where it all began.