Former Leicester and Chelsea midfielder Drinkwater retires at 33.

Former Leicester and Chelsea midfielder Drinkwater retires at 33.

Former England midfielder Danny Drinkwater has retired from football after becoming frustrated “in limbo”.

Drinkwater, now 33, helped Leicester City win the Premier League in 2016 and joined Chelsea for £35m a year later.

He left Stamford Bridge when his contract expired in June 2022, having made little impact, and has not played since.

“I think I’ve been in limbo for too long,” said Drinkwater, who started his career at Manchester United.

He told the High Performance podcast there had been no opportunities at a level that might tempt him back into action.

“I’ve been wanting to play but not getting the opportunity to play at a standard or a level where I felt valued,” Drinkwater said.

“I’ve never been really obsessed with football, I’ve just loved it. The idea of me dropping down is fine but it’s the idea of not playing to my worth.”

Drinkwater came through the academy at United but signed for Leicester in 2012 before making a senior appearance for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

He helped Leicester win promotion to the Premier League in 2014 and was part of Claudio Ranieri’s 2016 title-winning squad.

Following his success under Ranieri, who he called “Grandad”, Drinkwater earned his first of three England caps but was not selected by Roy Hodgson for Euro 2016.

He signed for Chelsea for £35m in 2017 and made 22 appearances in his debut season.

Overall, though, he failed to make a significant impression at the club and had loan spells at Burnley, Aston Villa, Turkish club Kasimpasa and Reading.

Speaking about his time at Chelsea, Drinkwater – who previously said he would be open to a move to Saudi Arabia – said: “As a whole it was garbage, but if you break it down I had some really good times.”

Drinkwater had off-field problems too – a drink-driving ban, being involved in a nightclub altercation and headbutting team-mate Jota while on loan at Villa.

“Anyone who thinks earning a good amount of money will solve all of your problems is not true at all,” Drinkwater said.

“Mental health is more important than physical. It was the darkest I’d ever felt and it was like I was drowning and forgotten how to swim.”