Gary Cahill has admitted he is 'devastated' at the news of Ryan Mason's retirement.
Mason fractured his skull during a clash of heads with Cahill in a match between Chelsea and Hull City 13 months ago. The former Tottenham player was taken to hospital and operated on immediately.
Despite spending most of the last year preparing for a return, Mason announced on Tuesday that he is
retiring from playing after specialists deemed it unsafe for him to resume his career.
In response to the announcement, Cahill sent his best wishes to Mason via a tweet sent on Tuesday afternoon.
'Devastated to hear today's news from Ryan,' the tweet read. 'Competing for a corner is something we've done thousands of times and to see those consequences for a top professional like Ryan is heartbreaking.
'Sending all my love to him and his family, and wishing him the best for the future.'
https://twitter.com/GaryJCahill/status/963462815796355073
Mason, now 26, started his career at Spurs. After loan spells with Yeovil, Dincaster Rovers, Millwall and Swindon Town, he eventually joined Hull on a permanent deal in 2016.
