Premier League winner Danny Drinkwater retires from football aged 33 with the former England, Leicester and Chelsea midfielder saying he’d ‘been in limbo too long’ after leaving Stamford Bridge last year


  • Drinkwater won the Premier League title with Leicester City in 2015-16
  • That led to a £35m Chelsea move but the midfielder struggled to make an impact
  • After leaving Chelsea last year, Drinkwater has now decided to retire  

Former England midfielder Danny Drinkwater has announced his retirement from professional football.

The Premier League title winner with Leicester City later moved to Chelsea but played only a bit-part role and has decided to hang up his boots having been ‘in limbo too long’ following his release from there in July last year.

The 33-year-old told the High Performance Podcast: ‘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.

Danny Drinkwater, who won the Premier League with Leicester City in 2016, has retired

Drinkwater joined Chelsea in 2017 but struggled to make much of an impact amid injury issues

Drinkwater joined Chelsea in 2017 but struggled to make much of an impact amid injury issues

‘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 came through the academy at Manchester United but didn’t make a senior appearance for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side amid loan spells to Huddersfield, Cardiff, Watford and Barnsley.

But his career took off when he signed for Leicester in 2012, helping them win promotion into the Premier League in 2014.

Drinkwater's final loan spell from Chelsea was with Reading in the Championship in 2021-22

Drinkwater’s final loan spell from Chelsea was with Reading in the Championship in 2021-22

Drinkwater won three caps for England in 2016 - making his debut against the Netherlands

Drinkwater won three caps for England in 2016 – making his debut against the Netherlands 

Drinkwater played a prominent part in Leicester’s miraculous Premier League title success under Claudio Ranieri in 2015-16, featuring in 35 of their 38 league games.

In March 2016, he won the first of three England caps in a friendly match against the Netherlands at Wembley but didn’t make Roy Hodgson’s squad for that year’s European Championship.

He played one more season at Leicester before Chelsea signed him for £35million. However, he was never to play a prominent part there, his cause not helped by injuries.

After 22 appearances in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, Drinkwater went on various loan spells to Burnley, Aston Villa, Turkish club Kasimpasa and Reading in the Championship.

He left Stamford Bridge upon the expiry of his Chelsea contract in June 2022.

Earlier this year, Drinkwater said he would be interested in a move to Saudi Arabia – or rejoining Leicester following their relegation to the Championship.

Recent Instagram posts showed him training in the heat of Dubai to maintain his fitness with a view to potentially finding a new club – but Drinkwater has now decided to call time on his career.  

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.





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