Former Manchester United prospect Danny Drinkwater has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33 after admitting he has been in “limbo for too long.”
Drinkwater started off his career in United’s youth academy and played for the Red Devils’ youth team, with Sir Alex Ferguson later including him in his senior squad.
The 33-year-old ex-England midfielder was loaned out to Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Watford and Barnsley during his spell at Old Trafford.
Despite not making a senior appearance for United — only featuring under Ferguson as an unused sub — Drinkwater completed his move to Leicester City in 2012.
Drinkwater featured regularly under former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri and played his part in the club’s sensational 2015-16 Premier League title triumph.
The former England international moved to Chelsea in 2017 as part of a £35m deal, but Drinkwater was hit with injuries and failed to establish himself at the Blues.
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Drinkwater retires from football
During his spell at Chelsea, Drinkwater was loaned out to Burnley, Aston Villa, Kasimpasa and Reading before his contract with the Blues expired in 2022.
However, the ex-Leicester star revealed that his retirement had been a “long time coming,” despite receiving “quite a few offers from Championship clubs.”
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast (via The Daily Mirror), Drinkwater said: “I’d just like to announce my retirement from professional football.
“It’s probably been a long time coming, especially with the last year, but I think it’s time to officially announce it now. I didn’t think it would bother me but saying it then, it’s almost like scratching a nerve a bit.
“I think I’ve been ready for it, not stopping at my peak and it’s simmered down a bit, that’s helped the transition.
“I think I’ve been in limbo for too long, I’ve either been wanting to play but not getting the opportunities to play at a level where I felt valued. I just thought I’m restless here for no reason, I’m happy not playing football, but I’m happy playing football, so do I just shake hands with the sport?
“It’s all I’ve known, it’s been my life since I was six or seven, it was never going to be an easy thing. I think the way it’s died down has definitely helped.
“If I was playing week in, week out and had to stop through injury or age, I think it would be trickier. I’ve had quite a few offers from Championship clubs, but I never felt the burn, it did nothing for me.”
Drinkwater ‘holds no grudge against’ United
Drinkwater’s career at United might not have taken off in the way that he had hoped, but the former footballer did make a name for himself at Leicester.
Alongside his Premier League medal at the Foxes, Drinkwater lifted the Championship title with Leicester and an FA Cup with Chelsea.
The former Leicester and Chelsea player also represented England three times, with Drinkwater earning his call-up under ex-Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson.
Before Drinkwater signed for United, he played for Unicorn Athletic and his former coach at the club, Kenny Crane, spoke about the player’s time at United.
“I am sure that he would love to have made it at United,” Crane told Goal in 2017.
“He holds no grudge against them and they were probably right at the time to release him but I think it shows his determination to sign for another top-four club because he could have easily just drifted through the lower leagues at Huddersfield and Cardiff.”
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