Danny Drinkwater, a former England and Chelsea midfielder, has announced his retirement from professional football.
The Premier League champion with Leicester City decided to retire after being ‘in limbo for too long’ following his release from Chelsea in July last year.
“I’d just like to announce my retirement from professional football,” the 33-year-old told the High-Performance Podcast.
“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.”
Danny Drinkwater came through Manchester United’s academy but never made a senior appearance for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side due to loan spells at Huddersfield, Cardiff, Watford, and Barnsley.
But his career took off when he joined Leicester in 2012, where he helped the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2014.
Drinkwater was a key figure in Leicester’s shock Premier League title win under Claudio Ranieri in 2015-16, appearing in 35 of the club’s 38 league games.
He won his first of three England caps in a friendly against the Netherlands at Wembley in March 2016, but he did not make Roy Hodgson’s squad for that year’s European Championship.
He stayed at Leicester for one more season before joining Chelsea for £35 million.
Drinkwater made 22 appearances in his debut season at Stamford Bridge before being loaned out to Burnley, Aston Villa, Turkish club Kasimpasa, and Reading in the Championship.
