Retirement Announcement

Premier League winner Danny Drinkwater has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33. Drinkwater, who was released by Chelsea in July 2022, stated that he had been "in limbo too long" and felt it was time to officially retire.

A Career Highlight

The highlight of Drinkwater's career came in 2016 when he played a key role in Leicester City's historic Premier League title win. He made 218 appearances for the club before securing a £35 million move to Chelsea in 2017.

Struggles to Find a New Club

Since leaving Chelsea, Drinkwater has struggled to find a new club. Despite receiving offers from Championship clubs, he did not feel valued and did not find the motivation to continue playing. He admitted that he had been in a state of limbo for too long.

A Difficult Decision

Retiring from professional football was not an easy decision for Drinkwater, as the sport had been his life since childhood. However, he felt that the transition was made easier by the fact that he had already simmered down from his peak and was not playing regularly.

A Troubled Journey

Drinkwater's career had its ups and downs. After coming up through the ranks at Manchester United, he had several loan spells in lower divisions before finding success at Leicester. However, injuries and lack of playing time hindered his progress at Chelsea, and he was subsequently loaned out to other clubs. His contract with Chelsea expired in June 2021.

No New Opportunities

Despite expressing his desire to continue playing, Drinkwater did not receive any concrete offers that excited him. He considered a move to Saudi Arabia and even entertained the idea of returning to Leicester for their Championship campaign, but ultimately no opportunities materialized.

Off-Field Controversy

In addition to his football career, Drinkwater also made headlines for off-field incidents. In 2019, he was banned from driving for 20 months and ordered to do community service after admitting to drink-driving. He crashed his Range Rover into a wall in Cheshire while under the influence.

Overall, Danny Drinkwater's retirement marks the end of a career that had its fair share of highs and lows. While he will be remembered for his role in Leicester's title-winning season, he also faced challenges and setbacks that ultimately led to his decision to retire.