James Milner, who currently plays for Brighton, returned in the last game of the season to help the team beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-1. The midfielder revealed that his previous injury was quite serious, causing him to miss most of the 2024-25 season, and expressed his hope to continue playing for the team next season.  

James Milner started in the first three games of the season. However, he was forced to leave the field in the 17th minute of the 1-1 draw away to Arsenal due to injury. However, he returned to the team in the 4-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur.  

He said: "I injured my knee in training before the game against Arsenal. At first it was stable and we tried to continue training, but then my hamstring reacted. I then had surgery and reconstruction on my knee. Fortunately, the recovery was good and the original plan was to be able to return in early December."  

"But the operation damaged my nerves. Afterwards, I couldn't even lift my feet or toes. It wasn't until December 31st that I felt for the first time that there was hope."  

"It has been a long and challenging road to recovery. The medical team have been fantastic, especially club physio Sean Duggan who has been incredibly helpful."  

"At that time, I even doubted whether I could return to the court. It was a problem whether I could walk normally, let alone play football. Fortunately, after persistence and hard work, I did it. Now I can play with my teammates, watch them turn the game around in the second half, and participate in it. It feels particularly unforgettable."  

"I have been training on the grass for several months, but I still need to be careful with physical contact. The season is tight, and if the tournament starts next week, I believe I can stay healthy. This is not a matter of age, but an extremely rare probability. I was in good shape at the beginning of the season, but then my luck was not good."  

James Milner also said: "It's really frustrating. I try my best to support the head coach and assist the players off the court. They are a team with great potential, but the process is very difficult. Whether it is through video analysis or communicating with the players off the court, only by really fighting side by side with them can progress be faster and easier."  

"But you can see their potential, they are a group of outstanding young people, and my goal is to help them grow and improve as much as possible. The players are grateful for the help. In the celebration at the Tottenham Stadium, Carlos Baleba and Yankuba Minter hugged their teammates in front of the fans to express their gratitude."  

"He's really a legend," said Jankuba Minter. "He's been supporting us from the beginning and trying to help the young players adapt to the team. I'm really happy that he's back. His influence is hard to describe. He shows top professionalism and technical level. If you want to succeed in the future, you must listen carefully to his guidance."  

"We young players learn from him every day because he never rests on his laurels and always works hard, which I admire very much. If he can continue to stay, it will be great news."