Brighton & Hove Albion are reportedly set to sign Liverpool midfielder James Milner on a free transfer at the end of the season.
The 37-year-old is out of contract in the summer and is expected to end his eight-year spell at Anfield despite Jurgen Klopp's hinting earlier this year his desire to keep hold of the veteran.
"We have different plans for Milly but Milly wants to keep playing, and when you see him play the other night [against Wolves] I think everyone understands that," Klopp told reporters in January. "You can't judge him normal for his age. He is 37, but he doesn't look a day like this when he is in training. He is an incredibly important player.
"It is not that Milly expects to play 64 games a season but in a 64-game season Milly could be extremely important. That is how it is. Milly has reached 600 games and most of them were for Liverpool.
"Even a player who had a few clubs can end up at 'his' club and I would consider Liverpool as 'his' club, and I am pretty sure the club should use his character and his mindset because it is really special.
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"There might be more fancy players out there but no one with a similar mindset and that makes him incredibly valuable for us. And it is not because I am 'too loyal'; it is just a fact."
However, according to Sky Sports News, a deal for Milner to join Brighton on a free transfer ahead of next season is "all but done".
The report adds that Milner has rebuffed interest from Championship winners Burnley, as he has been "blown away" by the philosophy of Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who is hoping to steer the Seagulls into Europe for the first time in the club's history.
De Zerbi has received plenty of praise for his attractive brand of football that has helped Brighton challenge for a top-seven finish in the Premier League – the Seagulls currently sit eighth in the table and just four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool with two games in hand.
Brighton believe that Milner's versatility and vast experience will come in handy, particularly if they secure European football for next season, while the midfielder is understood to view the transfer to the Amex Stadium as an opportunity to further his career and pass on his knowledge of the game to the younger members of De Zerbi's squad.
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Milner is set to follow in the footsteps of fellow midfielder Adam Lallana in swapping Liverpool for Brighton, with the latter having made a huge impact both on and off the pitch since the arrival of De Zerbi.
Since joining Liverpool from Manchester City in 2015, Milner has made a total of 327 appearances for the Reds across all competitions, scoring 26 goals and providing 46 assists, while he has also won seven trophies including the Premier League and Champions League.
However, the 61-cap England international has gradually fallen down the pecking order at Anfield, and has only started 10 of his 38 appearances in all tournaments this season.
Milner is not the only midfielder who could be departing Liverpool this summer, as Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also out of contract at the end of the season.
Brighton, meanwhile, are looking to get some of their transfer briskness done early, with news regarding the potential arrival of Milner following reports last week that the Seagulls have agreed to sign Watford forward Joao Pedro for a club-record fee.
Oliver Thomas
