Danny Drinkwater admits Chelsea career has been ‘a shambles’ after just 12 top-flight games for club

Danny Drinkwater admits his Chelsea career has been ‘a shambles’ after making just TWELVE Premier League appearances for club… with midfielder ‘desperate’ to get career back on track once his deal runs out in the summer

  • Danny Drinkwater joined Chelsea from Leicester in a £35m deal in 2017 
  • But he has gone on to make just 23 appearances for the Blues in all competitions 
  • The midfielder is currently on loan at Reading, his fourth loan away from Chelsea
  • The three-time England star now insists he is looking forward to new challenges 


Danny Drinkwater has labelled his Chelsea career ‘a shambles’ following his move to the club in 2017.

The 31-year-old joined the Blues from Leicester in a £35million deal four years ago but has made just twelve Premier League appearances for the club, and only 23 across all competitions.

The midfielder is currently on loan at Reading – his fourth loan spell away from Chelsea – following unsuccessful stints at Aston Villa, Burnley and Kasimpasa. 

Danny Drinkwater has labelled his Chelsea career ‘a shambles’ following his move in 2017

Drinkwater is currently on loan at Reading, his fourth spell away from Chelsea since he joined

Drinkwater is currently on loan at Reading, his fourth spell away from Chelsea since he joined

Drinkwater made an encouraging debut for the Royals at the weekend in the victory at Fulham, but it has a dramatic slide for a player who was an England international when he left the King Power Stadium for Stamford Bridge.

And the three-time England international admits he is looking forward to get his career back on track, having not played in the Premier League for the Blues since 2018. 

‘Can I paint a picture? No. It’s been a shambles,’ Drinkwater told talkSPORT.

‘It’s football, it’s never straightforward, it’s never simple. I’m just excited for the new challenges. I need to [kick-start my career]. I’m more excited about this than I have been for a few years now, especially how my career’s panned out.

Drinkwater is in the final year of his Blues contract and is looking forward to 'new challenges'

Drinkwater is in the final year of his Blues contract and is looking forward to ‘new challenges’

‘Games, getting the enjoyment of football back, then going from there. A few have slid away, I’ve made mistakes, I’ve not played.

‘I’m in the last year of my contract, so there’s more than just football riding on it. I’ve got other things.’ 

Drinkwater also had off-the-field issues in recent years, including run-ins involving drink-driving, claims of headbutting Jota on loan at Villa and the victim of a nightclub attack shortly after joining Burnley.

But he now insists he is ‘desperate for games’ and is keen to build trust and take the right steps in his career.

He added: ‘I’m desperate for games, I know my position and I know it’s not what I’ve expected for 10 years. So I’ve got to make changes and I’m making the right steps.

The 31-year-old midfielder endured an unsuccessful loan spell at Aston Villa last year

The 31-year-old midfielder endured an unsuccessful loan spell at Aston Villa last year

‘I’ve just got to keep in contact with the manager, trust each other and trust the team. Hopefully they trust me and we can build on that.’

Drinkwater is believed to have a £110,000 per week contract at Chelsea but admitted last year he was seeing a sports psychologist to help him deal with the turbulent last few years.

‘I know my Chelsea move hasn’t worked out how anybody would have wanted and I’ve made mistakes, but it’s not as simple as me just not playing football or picking up a wage,’ Drinkwater told The Telegraph.

‘Money doesn’t solve anything. The pay cheque doesn’t really help at all, you don’t even think about money.’

He also struggled to make an impact on loan at Burnley during the 2019-20 season

He also struggled to make an impact on loan at Burnley during the 2019-20 season 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk