LIVERPOOL COULD SEAL MILNER REPLACEMENT IN £10.5M PL STAR

Liverpool lead the race to secure a surprise swoop for Fulham full-back Kenny Tete this summer, who could be viewed as an interesting replacement for James Milner, who has departed Anfield upon the expiry of his contract.

What's the latest on Liverpool's pursuit of Kenny Tete?

That's according to recent reports, with the Dutch defender's future at Craven Cottage up in the air after failing to agree a contract extension with Marco Silva's side.

Tete has just one year left on his current deal and could be available for as little as £10.5m, with Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke now in the driving seat despite further intrigue from two anonymous Premier League outfits and one LaLiga side.

The Cottagers made an emphatic return to the top flight this term and cast aside the 'yo-yo' tag as they recorded a tenth-placed finish, with Tete playing a starring role.

Should Liverpool sign Kenny Tete?

With Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson mere weeks away from his 33rd birthday, it is likely that he will be utilised more sparingly next season, maintaining his leadership skills and galvanising the troops, but no longer taking centre stage on the Anfield grass, having started just 23 times in the league.

It could be that the England veteran slowly transitions into the role that Milner played during his twilight phase on Merseyside, a dependable and dynamic utility option.

While primarily a midfielder, the loss of the 37-year-old Milner has left the right-back position depleted, with 12 of the 61-cap former England international's 41 outings for the Reds this term coming in the defensive position.

And while Trent Alexander-Arnold is the undisputed powerhouse in the right-back position at Anfield, Tete's prospective acquisition could pay dividends by bolstering the fold with a perfect alternative.

Hailed as a "great asset" for Fulham by chairman Tony Khan upon signing for the club in 2020, the 27-year-old made 31 appearances in the top-flight this season and scored one goal and supplied five assists, recording a laudable average Sofascore rating of 7.09 and completing 1.7 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game.

As per FBref, the £50k-per-week ace ranks among the top 15% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of assists, the top 9% for rate of tackles, the top 3% for interceptions and the top 6% for blocks per 90.

The "sensational" defender - as dubbed by presenter Jack Collins - would clearly be a marked improvement on the ageing Milner, who recorded an average rating of 6.68 this term and boasted just 0.8 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 0.4 clearances per game in the Premier League, branded as "no longer the answer" by talkSPORT's Ade Oladipo in the early phases of the campaign.

For such a paltry fee, Tete would be a wonderful addition to the Reds' team, and could etch his name into the considerable list of shrewd acquisitions to have served as pillars for Klopp's dynasty on Merseyside.

2023-06-06T05:42:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd