Sources: James Milner told to take pay cut to land new Liverpool deal
Liverpool have told James Milner to accept a pay cut if he is to sign a new contract at the club, sources have told Football Insider.
The 37-year-old’s current deal expires this summer, but the Reds are preparing a new extension for the veteran midfielder.
Football Insider sources revealed on Sunday (19 March) that Jurgen Klopp is pushing the board at Liverpool to offer Milner a new one-year deal.
Klopp believes Milner’s experience, leadership and dressing room presence are vital to Liverpool’s positive atmosphere and therefore wants to extend his stay at Anfield another year.
It is reported that Milner’s last contract extension saw his wages cut to around £60,000-a-week, but another year at Anfield will require him to slash that figure further.
Klopp piled praise on Milner this season, labelling him a “role model” and insisting the club’s recent success wasn’t possible without him.
“He’s a role model,” said Klopp. “I have told him, I can tell the whole world – nothing we have achieved in the last few years would have happened without James Milner, it’s as easy as that.”
Milner joined Liverpool as a free agent in 2015 during Klopp’s first transfer window at the club, and during his eight years at Anfield he has helped the club win a Premier League title, Champions League title, EFL Cup and Club World Cup.
He has made a total of 321 appearances for Liverpool during his career, scoring 26 and assisting 46.
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