---
title: "Flashback: Liverpool’s signing of James Milner has shown they can get it right with free transfers"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/flashback-liverpools-signing-of-james-milner-has-shown-they-can-get-it-right-with-free-transfers/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Features"
published: "2019-10-07T18:05:14Z"
modified: "2019-10-07T18:05:14Z"
---

# Flashback: Liverpool’s signing of James Milner has shown they can get it right with free transfers

**In our latest instalment of the *Flashback* series, we take a look back at a certain moment and look at how things might have changed those initial reactions.**

Liverpool have not always had the best of luck when it comes to free transfers. Striker Andriy Voronin [came to the club from Bayer Leverkusen on a free in 2007](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/6373275.stm) a year after [helping Ukraine to reach the quarter-finals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andrii-voronin/nationalmannschaft/spieler/1075/verein_id/3699) in their first World Cup, but would score just [six times in 40 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andrii-voronin/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/1075) for the Reds and was [shipped out on loan to Hertha Berlin](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andrii-voronin/transfers/spieler/1075) before [leaving permanently for Dynamo Moscow](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andrii-voronin/transfers/spieler/1075) in January 2010.

Six months after Voronin left, [Joe Cole rocked up at Anfield](https://web.archive.org/web/20120107045911/http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/exclusive-reds-sign-joe-cole) fresh from winning a [third Premier League title with Chelsea](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-cole/erfolge/spieler/3876). The attacking midfielder, who was on [£90,000 a week](https://archive.today/20100724211502/http://www.espnstar.com/football/premier-league/news/detail/item468506/Liverpool-favourites-to-sign-Joe-Cole) at Anfield, was [sent off on his league debut for the Reds against Arsenal](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8915512.stm) and netted just[five times in 42 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-cole/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3876) before [rejoining West Ham](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-cole/transfers/spieler/3876) in January 2013, via a [loan spell at Lille](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-cole/transfers/spieler/3876) in 2011/12.

Therefore, Reds fans could have been forgiven for not getting too excited when a 29-year-old James Milner [signed on a free transfer from Manchester City in June 2015](https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33002472), with Liverpool having just [said goodbye to fellow England midfielder Steven Gerrard](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/16/liverpool-crystal-palace-premier-league-match-report) a month previously. Indeed, some Reds supporters on Twitter were far from convinced that it was an astute signing:

> That’s a waste [@LFC](https://twitter.com/LFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>
> — LFC Marshall (@BhutySbuh) [June 4, 2015](https://twitter.com/BhutySbuh/status/606378229902020608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@LFC](https://twitter.com/LFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) is he not past his sell by date
>
> — Carza (@castonian) [June 4, 2015](https://twitter.com/castonian/status/606383957190561792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> @tmikowsky [@LFC](https://twitter.com/LFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) poor mans Durk Kuyt, never heard single red say I’d sign him bt he’s in bargin bin whr FSG do their shppng all about LFCSale
>
> — ((( Andrew Sharp))) #RevokeA50 (@MrBlanding) [June 4, 2015](https://twitter.com/MrBlanding/status/606472067605778432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@LFC](https://twitter.com/LFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) sure that’s not Lee Evans ?
>
> — Alan Nickle (@AlanNickle) [June 5, 2015](https://twitter.com/AlanNickle/status/606624409059753984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The [ex-Leeds](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/transfers/spieler/3333) man was soon installed as the [Reds’ vice-captain](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/190840-milner-confirmed-as-reds-vice-captain) by Brendan Rodgers, though, and[skippered the side in just his third league game for the club](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/arsenal-0-0-liverpool-fc-9921593), a 0-0 draw against Arsenal. His first season at Anfield ended with [seven goals, 14 assists](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333) and a [Europa League final appearance](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36254631).

He played in [all but two Premier League games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333/plus/0/saison/2016/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/31) in 2016/17, [scoring seven times (all from the penalty spot)](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/alletore/spieler/3333) as Liverpool [claimed a top-four finish by a point ahead of Arsenal](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table/2016). Those spot kicks were ultimately worth an extra [five points](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/alletore/spieler/3333) to the Reds in the final reckoning and included vital penalties in games at [Tottenham, Manchester United and former club Manchester City](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/alletore/spieler/3333).

His 2017/18 goal contribution was far lower, [scoring just once](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333) all season, but he still played in [11 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333/plus/0/saison/2017/wettbewerb/CL/verein/31) on Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final, including in the [decider against Real Madrid](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333/plus/0/saison/2017/wettbewerb/CL/verein/31) in Kiev.

Milner’s penalty spot prowess was again to the fore last season, with five of his seven goals coming from 12 yards, including a decisive late winner at Fulham during the Premier League title run-in, as well as netting in both Champions League games against Paris Saint-Germain. \[[via TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/alletore/spieler/3333)\]

He again showed nerves of steel from the spot on Saturday to score a stoppage-time penalty against Leicester and maintain Liverpool’s 100% start to their league campaign. \[[via Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/liverpool-vs-leicester/report/408054)\]

A [midfielder by trade](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333), the 32-year-old showed his versatility by [operating at left-back for almost all of the 2016/17 season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333/saison//verein/0/liga/0/wettbewerb//trainer_id/0/pos/4), generally being [preferred to natural left-back Alberto Moreno](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/alberto-moreno/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/207917/plus/0/saison/2016/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/31) in that position.

With [24 goals in 188 Liverpool appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333), compared to [19 in 203 games for Manchester City](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-milner/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/3333), Milner has proven a very effective signing by the Reds with so many crucial goals, not least from pressurised penalty situations.

What a delicious irony it would be for the Anfield faithful if Milner, who didn’t cost Liverpool a transfer fee, goes on to play a decisive role as the Reds supplant his former club as Premier League champions this season.

\[freshpress-poll id=”251392″\]

***Liverpool fans, did you think the signing of Milner on a free in 2015 was a good move at the time? Have you revised your opinion since then? Share your views in the comments section below!***