Ex-Liverpool midfielder James Milner has revealed an issue during knee surgery left him unsure “if he could walk normally again” as he now nears a comeback.
Milner is into the final weeks of his contract at Brighton, but both he and head coach Fabian Hurzeler are hopeful of agreeing an extension.
If he does sign it would take him into his 24th year as a senior professional and beyond his 40th birthday, but comes on the back of a campaign that saw him play only four times.
An injury picked up in training in September eventually required surgery, and Milner only returned for a late cameo on the final day of the season.
Reflecting on his time out in an interview with Brighton‘s official website, he revealed a complication which left him fearing he would not “walk normally again.”
“I had a knee operation and knee reconstruction, which was fine and I would have been back at the start of December,” Milner explained.
“But in the operation a nerve got damaged. After the operation I couldn’t lift my foot or my toes. The first time I saw any flicker of life was the 31st of December.
“It’s been a long, tough road. The medical staff have been incredible, [club physio] Sean Duggan has been absolutely unbelievable.
“There was a chance I might not have come back at all. I didn’t know if I could walk normally again, never mind play football.
“But thankfully the hard work’s paid off. And to get on the field [on the final day] with the boys and see them turn it around in the second half and be a part of that was special.”
Remarkably, Milner was given the all-clear to return before the season’s end, which gave him the opportunity for a possible farewell appearance.
Liverpool’s former vice-captain has confirmed his intention to continue playing, saying he has “definitely got another year left,” with the injury not deterring him.
“I’ve just run out of time. If the season was next week I think I would have been fit from now on,” he continued.
“It’s not age-related, it’s just one chance in however many thousand. It was just a bit of bad luck after starting the season well and feeling good.”
Milner is currently second for all-time Premier League appearances, having brought his tally up to 638 this season, behind only Gareth Barry with 653.
