James Milner has seemingly made his return to Liverpool, as the former midfielder takes the first steps of his post-playing career with the Reds.
James Milner of Liverpool with the Premiership Trophy the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC
James Milner has returned to Liverpool(Image: (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
Liverpool hero James Milner has made his return to the club in a coaching capacity, according to reports, as the former midfielder looks ahead to his post-playing career.
Milner, 40, spent eight years at Anfield after joining as a free transfer from Manchester City back in 2015, adding plenty of quality and experience across the pitch.
The midfielder was uniquely versatile, capable of playing almost anywhere he was needed, featuring 332 times for the Reds across multiple different positions whenever he was needed.
In that time, he won a Premier League title, a Champions League, an FA Cup, an EFL Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, and the Community Shield, rounding off a successful spell in Merseyside as one of the leaders within the group.
After leaving Liverpool, Milner joined Brighton in 2023, spending three years at the club, where he officially broke the Premier League appearance record with 658 in the competition.
Following the breaking of that record, the experienced star called time on his playing career, bringing an end to an impressive run from 2002 until 2026.
The Liverpool hero will now be enjoying the fruits of his labor, no longer having to take part in the tough preseason training of the summer or the intense schedule that is ramping up as the seasons go by.
For some, a post-playing career is filled with uncertainty. Some move into punditry, while others move into coaching, which appears to be the case for Milner.
James Milner has announced his retirement
James Milner has announced his retirement(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
A report from This is Anfield claims that Milner has been spotted back at Liverpool taking up coaching, with the former midfielder working with the youth teams as part of his early move back into the world of soccer.
As it stands, the 40-year-old isn't a permanent part of the setup, as he is still acquiring experience, but he is already making some keen progress in the field.
Milner has already landed a UEFA A License, with just the UEFA Pro License left to get to secure himself all of the relevant qualifications for the job moving forward.
It remains to be seen whether that could result in a permanent stay back at Anfield, or whether he will pursue a move elsewhere into coaching as part of a setup or as a head coach himself.
At that point, Milner could put his many years of experience to use, with his first steps into a new career now seemingly underway.