JURGEN KLOPP has heaped praise on his Liverpool man James Milner, calling him one of the ‘top five’ players he’s even worked with and a ‘perfect professional’.
The German boss has been thrilled with the versatile Englishman since taking over at Anfield a little over a year ago.
And Klopp could not be happier with Milner‘s impact at the club since the day he first took over at the Reds.
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Klopp said: “I have nothing bad to say about any of my players, but he is certainly in the top five.
“I have been very lucky to surround myself with great professionals, but Milly is 100 per cent in the top five.
"Yes, he is the perfect professional.”
Klopp added he was ecstatic when Liverpool signed Milner - then under Brendan Rodgers - and reserved special praise for the way he adapted to his new full-back role.
He said: “When I heard that Liverpool had signed him, I thought it was really good and that was at a time I had no idea that I would be part of his football development.
“I know Milly and he wants to play always. Maybe that was not the case at City and it made sense to leave.
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“From the outside, it looks a difficult transition – to come from a wide position or central midfield to specialist role at full-back.
“But James is football-smart, has good instincts and is quick, so he is good.
“It says more about his quality to make that switch. It would not have been the smartest decision if he said he didn’t want to do it.
“People say he doesn’t look like a left-back because most of the time they are defensive-minded, but a lot of time he is running into spaces looking to attack.
“We didn’t want to make him a left-back, we only want someone who can have an influence on the game from this position.
"That is why we though it might be a good idea.
“He has had to deal with situations like this in a long career already. He was open and I was not surprised by that.
“I am not 100 per cent sure what his future holds in this position, but he is comfortable and, with the ball especially, he looks assured.
“For sure he has five or six really good years.”
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