Jurgen Klopp handed £53m Liverpool transfer question following James Milner new deal

It's a deal most would concur is a no-brainer.

It might not be an £80 million, record-breaking superstar arriving at Liverpool to bolster their chances of usurping Manchester City.

But retaining James Milner's services is as pragmatic as decisions come.

The veteran 36-year-old has agreed a new one-year deal with the Reds - and has taken a significant pay cut to boot.

Since arriving at Anfield in the summer of 2015, he's been at the bedrock of Liverpool's rise back to the pinnacle of European football.

He's won every trophy possible at Anfield - something he failed to do with Man City. As free transfers go, there haven't been many better.

While Milner may not be one of Klopp's elite, front-line soldiers anymore, he remains as invaluable as ever. His experience, nous and versatility are priceless.

Despite being in the twilight years of his career, Milner still made 39 appearances in a season that saw the Reds go agonisingly close to an unprecedented quadruple.

In both FA Cup and Carabao Cup final triumphs over Chelsea at Wembley, he played his part off the bench.

Fitness issues have scarcely proven a problem for Milner, despite him being a 20-year Premier League doyen.

In truth, it wouldn't be a surprise if he plays as many games again in the 2022-23 campaign.

Yet if that is the case, it leaves question marks around some fellow midfielders' immediate futures on Merseyside.

One of those, without a doubt, is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Signed for £35 million from Arsenal in 2017, Milner's stay means the 28-year-old may be further questioning whether he needs to depart.

For much of the campaign just gone, he was a peripheral figure.

But in the business end of the season, as the Reds went in pursuit of a history-making four-trophy assault, Oxlade-Chamberlain was in the wilderness.

His final league appearance came in a 2-1 victory over Norwich City on 19 February. His last outing was in the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup quarter-final on 20 March.

When Liverpool chased an equaliser in the Champions League final loss to Real Madrid, Oxlade-Chamberlain was left among the subs.

His renowned long-range shooting prowess was overlooked, with Naby Keita instead brought on.

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s previous injury problems are well documented. But throughout this term, he was unscathed.

It was a lack of opportunities rather than availability that restricted him to just 29 appearances in all competitions.

Indeed, the best spell of the season Oxlade-Chamberlain enjoyed was during the African Cup of Nations in January,

With Mo Salah and Sadio Mane away representing Egpyt and Senegal respectively, Liverpool had a dearth of firepower.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, therefore, was deployed as an auxiliary forward and scored two goals in as many games in defeats of Brentford and Crystal Palace.

The fee that Oxlade-Chamberlain could bank Liverpool would be intriguing. Transfermrkt currently values him at £16.2 million. That would be a fair price.

With a year left on his contract, supporters aplenty would agree it would be best to cash in on Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has been linked with Aston Villa and West Ham United.

Perhaps Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott may also ponder an exit temporarily with Milner staying.

Jones, a mercurial 21-year-old, has been around Klopp's set-up for several years now.

But regular opportunities still elude. Jones managed just 27 appearances throughout the season, although a freak eye injury was partly to blame.

The England under-21 international, said to be worth £27 million, will be craving a more prominent first-team role.

If he's to remain behind Milner in the pecking order, a loan switch could be an option to enhance his promising development.

Aston Villa have been mentioned, with Jones having worked with Steven Gerrard while he was Liverpool under-18s chief.

Elliott, meanwhile, began off the campaign in barnstorming fashion. He started three successive top-flight games before suffering a cruel ankle injury at Leeds United.

When he recovered, Elliott - claimed to be valued at £19.8 million - couldn't make the same impact.

The teenager too could weigh up a loan spell, this time in the Premier League after making a profound impact at Championship Blackburn Rovers in 2019-20.