James Milner would be open to returning to former club Leeds if the Championship side desperately needed him, though he has also revealed he could only make a decision if presented with a firm proposition.
Milner came through the youth ranks at United, spending two seasons with the Yorkshire side in the Premier League before moving to Newcastle in 2004.
The admission came to light in the former England international's book Ask a Footballer: My Guide to Kicking a Ball About which was released in late October.
“I get asked this all the time,” he revealed, as reported by Leeds Live. “Any time I bump into a Leeds fan – or even my mates back home – it’s always, ‘When are you coming back? When are you coming home?’
“It’s a really hard question to answer because it’s all totally hypothetical. There has never been a decision for me to make.
“They’ve never come in for me in the past and they might not do so in future. I’m playing for a great team who have just won the Champions League.
“Am I happy at Liverpool? Absolutely. About Leeds, all I can really say is that I still love the club and I still love the fans.
“It’s a regret that I didn’t play for Leeds longer. I didn’t want to leave and I felt like I was only really getting started at the club, but it was an unfortunate time for me to be coming through at Leeds.
“To go back and play for my hometown club again would be amazing in so many different ways. But at the same time, they say ‘Never go back,’ don’t they? What happens if you go back and it isn’t the fairy-tale finish? Would it be the right thing for me? Would it be the right thing for them?
“If my time at Liverpool came to an end and I was going to go somewhere else and Leeds were one of the clubs that were interested in me, then that would be a very exciting option for all the reasons I mention.
“But they might not be interested. I might look abroad. Something else could crop up that I’ve never even thought of. It is a nice idea, but I can’t say what the future will hold.”
A move anytime soon obviously seems unlikely, given Milner's status as an important player under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield as the Champions League holders look to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League.
Source : 90min