Last summer, Jürgen Klopp’s request to keep the duo at Anfield was rebuffed by Liverpool.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp expressed a desire to retain the services of veteran players James Milner and Roberto Firmino at Anfield last summer, as revealed recently. However, both players departed on free transfers after the expiration of their contracts.
Milner and Firmino arrived at Liverpool during the same transfer window in 2015, shortly after Klopp’s appointment. Milner joined from Manchester City on a free transfer, while Firmino was secured from TSG Hoffenheim for a fee of $44m (£35m/€41m). Over the course of eight years, they amassed over 650 combined appearances for the club before embarking on new chapters last summer.
Milner chose to remain in the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion, where he recently extended his contract, edging closer to the all-time league appearance record. Firmino, on the other hand, accepted a lucrative offer from Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, where he has scored eight goals in 29 appearances.
Although Klopp advocated for retaining both players, Liverpool opted not to offer them fresh deals, leading to their departures on free transfers. Alongside Milner and Firmino, other long-serving players like Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also left during a squad overhaul in 2023. A similar scenario looms as Joël Matip and Thiago Alcântara approach the end of their contracts.
Liverpool.com reflects that while the squad rejuvenation saw new arrivals like Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and Wataru Endō, the team could have benefited from the experience of Milner and Firmino during the season’s later stages when form dipped.