Danny Drinkwater has hit back at a fan who said he'd "hit rock bottom" after posting a picture of himself "grafting" on a building site.
The former Leicester City midfielder, 34, announced his retirement from professional football last year after being without a club since he was released by Chelsea in 2022.
Drinkwater, who lifted a Premier League title with Leicester in 2016, received a number of offers from Championship clubs but decided to call it a day after falling out of love with the game.
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Speaking to The High Performance podcast, he said: "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. 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."
Drinkwater added: "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."
The former Manchester United midfielder also opened up about his career in an interview with SPORTbible. Here, he admitted he was comfortable with bowing out after such a productive spell in football.
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He said: "Football has given me some absolutely great years. It's also given me some sh*** times but the good years definitely outweigh the bad.
"I was able to buy my mum and dad the dream bungalow. I've been able to take care of my family so am I going to sit here and say football is sh**? No chance. Has it been ideal for me and my position now? 100% Was it a dream as a kid? 100%."
He added: "The last three years have been the toughest in regards to football but I'm not going to sit here and complain.”
As well as speaking about his career in football, Manchester-based Drinkwater opened up about his projects away from the game, which included renovating a number of properties in the local area.
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The 34-year-old remains involved in the property business and often gets his hands dirty on site, as seen in a recent post on Instagram.
Drinkwater posted a picture of himself with the caption: "On site today", which brought a response from one fan, saying: "F***** h*** Danny you've hit rock bottom [crying face emoji]."
After reposting the message on his Instagram story, Drinkwater added: "Some of these messages, behave. I love being on site grafting. It's a choice."
Topics: Danny Drinkwater, Chelsea, Leicester City, Premier League
Jack Kenmare