Danny Drinkwater apologises to Chelsea fans after leaving club for free

'To the Chelsea fans I apologise for how this has turned out...'

Danny Drinkwater has issued an apology to Chelsea supporters after announcing he will leave the club on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer. The 32-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge in a £35m deal from Leicester City in 2017. However, the midfielder has only made 23 appearances during his entire stint with the Blues. The former England international struggled to secure a regular role at Chelsea and spent time out on loan at Burnley, Aston Villa, Turkish side Kasimpasa and, most recently, with Reading in the Championship. Drinkwater even spent time with the Blues' Under-23s last season, and will now leave the club at the end of June when his contract expires.

Drinkwater issues apology to Chelsea fans.

He citied injuries and his off-field behaviour - which included a ban for drink-driving and a nightclub fight in 2019 - for his failure to impress in London, but also claimed that he was treated poorly during his time at Stamford Bridge. https://twitter.com/garytaphouse/status/1529846249544896514

"My time at Chelsea has come to an end… actually feels really strange writing this. Me, the club and fans are hugely disappointed with the outcome there is no doubt about that," Drinkwater wrote on Instagram.

“Injuries, how I have been treated, mistakes I made, lack of game time . . . the list of excuses could be endless but I would not and cannot change what’s happened.

“I’m going to look at positives over the past five years, I have played with great players, coached by awesome managers, worked with some brilliant staff, met some fantastic people, lived in some beautiful places, travelled the world and won some more silverware.

“Football’s a fantastic sport but this for both parties was a business move gone wrong, it’s as black and white as that. To the Chelsea fans, I apologise for how this has turned out.”

Drinkwater previously described his Chelsea career as a "shambles."