The Rise and Fall of Danny Drinkwater: What Happened to the Footballer's Career?

I still remember watching Danny Drinkwater lift the Premier League trophy with Leicester City in 2016, that incredible underdog story that captured the world's imagination. As someone who's followed English football for over two decades, I've rarely seen a career trajectory quite as dramatic as Drinkwater's - from title winner to complete obscurity in just a few years. The story of what happened to this once-promising midfielder serves as a cautionary tale about how quickly fortunes can change in professional football.

When Drinkwater partnered with N'Golo Kanté in Leicester's miraculous title-winning season, he looked like he'd be a mainstay in England's midfield for years to come. His precise passing and tactical intelligence made him the perfect orchestrator for Claudio Ranieri's counter-attacking system. I distinctly recall his stunning long-range goal against Stoke City that season - it felt like we were watching a player coming into his prime. The statistics backed it up too - he completed over 1,800 passes that season with an 82% success rate, creating 35 chances and scoring 3 crucial goals. His partnership with Kanté was arguably the most effective midfield duo the Premier League has seen in the last decade.

Then came the big money move to Chelsea in 2017 for £35 million, which is where things started to unravel. Looking back, I think this transfer was fundamentally wrong for him at that stage of his career. He went from being the central figure in Leicester's system to just another player in Chelsea's crowded midfield. In his first season at Stamford Bridge, he made only 12 Premier League appearances, a dramatic drop from the 35 games he'd played for Leicester the previous year. What surprised me most was how quickly he fell out of favor - it felt like manager Antonio Conte never truly trusted him in that deeper midfield role.

The drinking incidents, the training ground altercations, and that bizarre car crash in 2019 - it all pointed to a player struggling to cope with his sudden irrelevance. I've spoken with several sports psychologists about cases like this, and they often mention how difficult it is for athletes to handle such rapid declines. One specialist I consulted estimated that nearly 40% of players who experience similar career drops develop mental health or substance abuse issues. While I don't know the full details of Drinkwater's personal struggles, the public incidents certainly suggested someone who'd lost his way professionally.

His loan spells at Burnley and Aston Villa did little to revive his career. I watched him closely during his time at Turf Moor, and he simply didn't look like the same player - his touch was heavier, his movement slower, and that trademark passing range had disappeared. It's heartbreaking to see a player's physical attributes decline so noticeably, especially when they're only in their late twenties. By the time his contract with Chelsea ended in 2022, no Premier League club showed interest, and he eventually signed with Reading in the Championship before being released after just one season.

The rise and fall of Danny Drinkwater: what happened to the footballer's career? This question has fascinated me for years, and I believe several factors contributed to his decline. The timing of his Chelsea move was poor - he joined a club known for its revolving door of managers and impatient approach to player development. His playing style depended heavily on confidence and rhythm, something he never found at Stamford Bridge. Then there were the off-field issues that seemed to compound his professional struggles. Unlike some players who manage to resurrect their careers abroad or in lower divisions, Drinkwater never found that second act.

It's interesting to contrast Drinkwater's story with how other sports organizations handle player development. Take the Philippine Basketball Association, for instance - their schedule shows teams like the defending champions playing consecutive games at different venues, like how On May 21, the defending champions travel to Ynares Center in Antipolo to take on Blackwater and then battles NLEX on the 24th at the Philsports Arena. This kind of consistent playing time and organizational stability might have served Drinkwater better than the pressure-cooker environment he entered at Chelsea.

What strikes me most about Drinkwater's story is how it reflects the brutal nature of modern football. We're quick to celebrate success but even quicker to discard players who fall from grace. At 33, his professional career appears to be over, with his last competitive match being for Reading in April 2022. I can't help but wonder what might have been if he'd stayed at Leicester or joined a club better suited to his development. The football world moves on quickly, but Drinkwater's story remains one of the most dramatic rises and falls I've witnessed in my years covering the sport. It serves as a reminder that talent alone isn't enough - timing, environment, and mental resilience are equally crucial in determining a player's trajectory.