Jota and his brother Andre Silva lost their lives in early July when their Lamborghini went off the road and caught fire in northwestern Spain.

The Portuguese forward had sported the number 20 during his tenure at Liverpool, where he and Milner played alongside each other for three seasons before the veteran midfielder's transfer to Brighton in 2023.

"Once I learned that Carlos (Baleba) was intending to change his number and 20 was free, I felt it was important to do this as a sign of respect and to honor Diogo Jota," Milner remarked.

"(He was) an incredible player I was lucky to play with and a wonderful friend as well. So it would be a significant honor to wear his number in the Premier League."

Liverpool is permanently retiring the number 20 after discussions with the player's wife, Rute, and family. This squad number will not be utilized at any level, including the women's team and academy.

The 39-year-old Milner has recently signed a one-year contract extension with Brighton and is pursuing his own Premier League legacy.

With 638 Premier League appearances to his credit, he is close to Gareth Barry's all-time record of 653 matches.