Milner to leave Liverpool at season's end

James Milner will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season, the Premier League giants announced Wednesday as they confirmed several departures from Anfield.

Milner will bow out alongside Roberto Firmino, whose exit has long been forecast, as well as Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

All the quartet will be out of contract after the end of the current campaign.

"We can confirm Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave the club upon the expiry of their contracts this summer," said a Liverpool statement.

"Special acknowledgements will be paid to the quartet at Anfield, with further tributes to follow at the end of the season."

Veteran former England midfielder Milner, 37, has been linked with a move to either high-flyers Brighton or hometown club Leeds following an eight-year stint at Anfield.

He made his Premier League debut for Leeds aged 16 in 2002 and had spells at Newcastle, Aston Villa and Manchester City before joining Liverpool in 2015.

His total of 617 appearances leaves Milner behind only Gareth Barry (652) and Ryan Giggs (632) in the Premier League list, although the trio are still shy of England goalkeeping great Peter Shilton's tally of 848 games, a record set in the old First Division.