Liverpool star James Milner backs Harvey Elliott to prove Jurgen Klopp right over transfer

In pictures: Liverpool start pre-season campaign

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He’s a veteran of the game and one of the oldest players in the Premier League – so it should be common knowledge that James Milner knows what he’s on about when it comes to football. The utility man, 35, has gone into his last season with the Reds given that his contract is due to expire next June.

Milner, who made his Premier League debut at the age of just 16 with boyhood club Leeds United, has 564 appearances in the Premier League, ranking fifth – and is likely to go fourth by the time his contract expires, as long as he makes nine league appearances.

Yet, despite unlike other footballers’ natural ability declining with age, he still continues to play at the top of his game.

Having frequently lined up for Liverpool in pre-season, Milner has shown he is still part of Jurgen Klopp’s plans.

And one player he has been lining up with, Harvey Elliot, is just half his age. Although as Milner has proved, age is just a number – something which Elliott has proved throughout pre-season as well.

Having shone on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers last season, Elliott has come straight into the first team picture in pre-season; showing older players like Milner and Jordan Henderson just what he can do.

And speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Milner was exemplary of Elliott; saying he played like a man years above his level.

Liverpool had been tipped to dip into the transfer market to bring in a new playmaker, but it now seems Klopp will utilise Elliott instead.

And Milner seemed to endorse that decision, saying: “He is a top player. From the first time I trained with him, you could recognise how good he is. Comfortable on the ball, good vision and a dribbler.

“It’s tough for him coming back, having been away last season, and getting back to how we play. It’s a different style to most of the other teams.

“He has had a good pre-season up to now, and the more minutes he gets in and around the boys in these games, the closer he will be.

“You try to give him some advice. He’s a confident lad and he has a great mindset. He doesn’t need too much guidance.

“But hopefully all the boys can help him on the way. I see him making a big impact this year. Any help we can give him can help him settle in and get up to speed, and maybe don’t make the little mistakes I made.

“If I can stop him doing that, with the talent he has got he has got a big future.”

Liverpool have yet to replace Georginio Wijnaldum following his move to Paris Saint-Germain.

And having seemingly been trumped by Barcelona in the race for Renato Sanches, it seems Elliott could be utilised by Jurgen Klopp more than first thought.

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