The 2015 summer transfer window has been a frenetic one for many Premier League clubs, and with deadline day looming, the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea look set to continue this desperate search for the right signing—or, at least, another body to add depth to an area.

While there have been many surprises and shrewd acquisitions in this transfer window, none match up to James Milner’s free-transfer move from Manchester City to Liverpool.

After a prolonged flirtation with new contracts and potential moves to join Arsene Wenger’s ambitious Arsenal outfit, Milner opted to sign a “long-term deal” with the Reds in June, as reported by Sky Sports.

The midfielder’s arrival was a significant statement of intent for Liverpool, and though he represents a decidedly unfashionable selection among a plethora of exciting signings in this summer’s transfer window, Milner remains the standout transfer for a variety of reasons.

But just why does Milner stand out as the transfer of the 2015 Premier League summer transfer window?

 

James Milner

Eighty-two minutes into Liverpool’s 3-0 loss to West Ham United on Saturday, Hammers manager Slaven Bilic introduced 16-year-old midfielder Reece Oxford—a player who, on being named in Bilic‘s starting lineup on the first day of the season against Arsenal, became the second-youngest to start a Premier League match since its inception in 1992, according to Nicholas Godden of the Mail.

Recalling the top 10 youngest starters in Premier League history, Godden noted the full debut of Milner in 2003, aged just 17 years old:

Milner burst on to the scene making his first Premier League start for Leeds United as they beat West Ham 1-0 at Elland Road on February 11, 2003. Before making his first start for the Yorkshire-based club Milner had already become the youngest goalscorer in the history of Premier League when he came on and netted against Sunderland on Boxing Day 2002. Milner joined Newcastle before moving on to Aston Villa. His performances earned him a £24m to Manchester City, where he went on to win two titles. Milner left City at the end of his contract this summer and signed for Liverpool.

Godden‘s brief summary, rounding off with his summer move to Liverpool, highlights Milner’s reputation. Over the 14 seasons he has spent in the Premier League so far, the Yorkshireman has become a top-flight institution, making almost 400 appearances and winning two league titles—both during his time with City.

The fact that Godden‘s list features only four other regular Premier League fixtures in Stephen Carr, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey speaks volumes about Milner’s longevity. He is a hugely dependable player—something which Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers desperately needed following the departure of captain Steven Gerrard to L.A. Galaxy.

Gerrard had long been Liverpool’s best and most influential player, and one who, until his final season on Merseyside, was close to irreplaceable. His decline throughout 2014/15 ensured that his MLS move was a wise one, but with the Reds having previously failed to address his drop in quality by signing a replacement, Gerrard’s loss was a significant one within Rodgers’ squad.

Like many other sides this summer, Rodgers had a key position to fill, but unlike many others, the signing of Milner effortlessly catered for this.

 

The Summer Transfer Window

The injection of even more TV money into the Premier League has increased the pulling power of even the most historically unattractive of clubs.

For example, Leicester City have signed Shinji Okazaki and Gokhan Inler, West Bromwich Albion have added Salomon Rondon to their ranks, Sunderland acquired European talents such as Yann M’Vila and Jeremain Lens and Stoke City oversaw an influx of surprising signings including former Barcelona midfielders Ibrahim Afellay and Moha El Ouriachi, Hannover 96 forward Joselu and former Bayern Munich and Inter Milan winger Xherdan Shaqiri.

Elsewhere, the likes of Swansea City, Southampton and Aston Villa have continued to make strong progress with signings from the upper echelons of Europe.

Andre Ayew, Franck Tabanou and Eder were all signed early in the summer by Swansea; Juanmi, Cedric Soares and Jordy Clasie have all joined Ronald Koeman’s Saints; and Tim Sherwood’s first foray into the transfer market as a manager heralded the arrivals of Idrissa Gueye, Jordan Amavi, Jordan Veretout, Jordan Ayew and Adama Traore.

It can be argued that this increase in revenue has levelled the playing field in the Premier League, but more so it has just boosted the English top flight into a position where they are able to financially outmuscle all but the most wealthy of clubs on the continent.

This has given United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City—the Premier League’s elite—the ability to outspend their rivals. To add to the likes of Ayew, Shaqiri and Adama, each of these top sides has furnished their squad with a host of truly exciting talents.

Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Matteo Darmian and Morgan Schneiderlin all joined Louis van Gaal’s cause at Old Trafford; Jose Mourinho snatched Pedro from under United’s noses; Arsenal signalled their intent by signing Petr Cech from Chelsea; and City have spent big on Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph, Nicolas Otamendi and now Kevin De Bruyne, with the Sky Blues confirming the 24-year-old’s arrival on a six-year deal on Sunday.

Speaking on De Bruyne‘s arrival, City manager Manuel Pellegrini declared: “I have no doubt that he will be a big success on his return to the Premier League.”

But, in reality, De Bruyne falls in with the majority of these transfers in that he is a considerable risk signing—something which makes Milner truly stand out.

 

Low Risk

“James Milner has been absolutely exceptional,” Rodgers told the Press Association (h/t This Is Anfield) prior to Saturday’s 3-0 loss to West Ham. “You know he is a good player but you don’t realise how good he is until he comes into your club.

“He is a proper man how tough he is but he is an outstanding footballer and he has added massively to the squad in terms of mentality. He is a winner and his work with the players has been outstanding on and off the field.”

Milner’s arrival has boosted Liverpool immeasurably, but this should have been no surprise to Rodgers: The 29-year-old was a rare no-risk signing.

“He’s such a wonderful professional, freakishly fit, versatile and exceptionally good at almost every aspect of the game,” Bleacher Report’s City correspondent Rob Pollard told This Is Anfield after Milner’s move to Liverpool.

Pollard spoke with a reverence similar to that of Pellegrini, who praised Milner’s professionalism and all-round quality in an interview with the Guardian‘s Sid Lowe last season:

I’m Milner’s No. 1 fan. Find me a more complete English player. There are players who’re better technically, yes. Quicker players, yes. Players who head better, yes. But show me one who does all the things Milner does well. There isn’t one.

It’s hard to leave him out. Respect, commitment and performance level: 10/10, fantastic. He’s polyfunctional: full-back – the only position he doesn’t like – attacking midfield, wide.

[…]

He gives everything. You leave him on the bench and he’s absolutely furious but watch him during the game: encouraging, shouting, supporting. And in the next training session he kills himself.

Milner’s a phenomenon.

The impact Milner has had on Rodgers’ side suggests that this is a wholly accurate summary. The Englishman has been in consistently high form in all four of Liverpool’s games so far in 2015/16—even producing a solid display in Saturday’s Anfield loss; a result which showered few of Rodgers’ players in any semblance of glory.

Milner sets the tempo for Liverpool’s game, both in terms of defence—with his relentless pressing—and attack—with his creativity and third-man runs. He will likely play every minute of every Premier League game, and for a free transfer he represents incredible value.

Few signings from this summer transfer window will have as much of an all-round impact on their sides in the Premier League, with Arsenal’s Cech and Swansea’s Ayew arguably the most likely.

The likes of Depay, De Bruyne, Pedro, Shaqiri and Adama all have the potential to truly light up the Premier League for their respective sides, but each brings a level of risk with them.

Will Depay‘s Eredivisie form translate to the English game? Can De Bruyne improve on his ill-fated Chelsea spell on his Premier League return? Can Pedro make the transition from dependable also-ran to key player? Will Shaqiri finally match talent with temperament? Can Adama hone his raw ability into match-winning quality?

There are very few question marks over Milner’s transition into the Liverpool squad, and at this point that makes him the best signing of the Premier League’s summer transfer window.

 

Statistics via Soccerbase.com.

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