Former Liverpool midfielder James Milner has extended his stay at Brighton into a second season.
Milner left the Reds on a free transfer this time last year, joining the Seagulls on a one-year deal after eight years at Anfield.
During his time at Liverpool, Milner won it all. A favourite of manager Jurgen Klopp, the long-time vice-captain often played bad cop to Jordan Henderson’s good cop.
Since moving to Brighton it hasn’t all worked out for Milner, though. Injured for a large part of the season, the 38-year-old has only managed 20 appearances on the South Coast.
Still, Milner was always valued for what he brought Liverpool off the field as well as on it. And with that in mind, it isn’t a surprise to see him sign up for another year with Brighton. Following the news, some of his former Liverpool teammates reacted.
James Milner extends Brighton contract
It depends on who you ask whether Liverpool missed Milner this season. It’s a topic that has been debated. They certainly could have used his nous and experience on a couple of occasions at least.
Klopp reportedly wanted to keep the veteran around, but in the end it was probably the right decision to call it a day.
Still, Milner made a big impression on just about everybody at Liverpool. And after he took to Instagram to celebrate his new contract on Tuesday, some of his old colleagues made that clear.
“Delighted to extend my stay @officialbhafc,” wrote Milner. “Enjoyed playing with the boys in a historic season for the club. Very frustrated being injured for the past few months but working hard to be back ready for the start of next season and hungrier than ever to contribute to the success of the club.”
With Milner all set for his 22nd season as a professional, Xherdan Shaqiri summed up the thoughts of many. “Machine,” wrote the Liverpool title-winner alongside a series of emojis.
Unsurprisingly, Henderson was also quick to comment, leaving applause and a love heart, while Joe Gomez left a response, too. Keep it going, Milly!
Where is Xherdan Shaqiri playing now
While it’s great to see Milner continuing his career beyond Liverpool, seeing Shaqiri in the comments also raised the question of what the Swiss is up to these days.
In many ways, Shaqiri was a slightly undervalued member of Klopp’s all-conquering side. Despite winning the Premier League, Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup with Liverpool, he was never a key player.
Since leaving in 2021, the reasons for that have possibly become clearer. Shaqiri joined Lyon from the Reds but lasted just six months in France before moving to the MLS.
Now into his third season with Chicago Fire, the 32-year-old is reportedly one of the division’s best paid players. To date, Shaqiri has played 69 times for The Fire, scoring 16 goals.
Still an international with Switzerland, no doubt we’ll see him light up this summer’s European Championship with a crazy goal.