REVEALED! The 13 best full-backs in Europe – including Liverpool’s James Milner, Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia and Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso

It may not be his first-choice position, but research has seemingly confirmed that James Milner has been one of Europe's best full-backs this season.

The midfielder-turned defender has slotted seamlessly into Jurgen Klopp's defence at Liverpool this season, with the German boss preferring the 31-year-old over regular left-back Alberto Moreno.

He has performed so well, the Reds boss may even wait until the end of the season to recruit a man in that position. The transfer rumours are in full flow in January, but the Merseysiders have been linked with attackers more than defensive reinforcements due to Milner's solid performances in 18 Premier League appearances this term.

According to a study by the , Milner is among the best performers in the position in Europe's top five leagues [Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, LaLiga and Serie A].

Their research measures players that have clocked up over 900 minutes of match action in 2016/17 and analyses the technical performances of an individual, scoring them out of 100.

Middlesbrough's George Friend just missed out on the list, with a score of 82. See who does make the top 13, starting with Antonio Valencia of Manchester United, by clicking the right arrow, above...