Former Leicester City and Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater has announced his retirement from professional football at age 33.
The Englishman told the High Performance Podcast his decision to hang the boot at this moment.
I would like to announce my retirement from Professional football, Drinkwater revealed.
‘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 started his career at Manchester United, where he never made any senior appearance. He left the club to search for a more suitable club afterwards to join Leicester City permanently, having gone through a loan path with different clubs.
He was pivotal for Leicester City during their 2016 Premier League historical triumph. Furthermore, he left the Foxes in the summer of 2017-18 to join Chelsea, where he has failed to make an impact.
Likewise, he was loaned to four different clubs by Chelsea, the last being Reading in the second tier of the English League.
Not only that, but he won the 2015-16 Premier League with Leicester and the Football League Championship in the 2013-14 season. With Chelsea, he won the FA Cup in the 2017-18 season.
