Fabian Delph announces retirement from football | OneFootball

Former England international Fabian Delph has confirmed his retirement from football, aged 32.

Delph began his career at Leeds United, spending five years in their youth ranks before earning his first professional contract in 2006.

The 2008/09 season proved to be an important one for the then-teenager, making 51 appearances in all competitions and scoring six times.

This form attracted plenty of attention from Premier League clubs. Aston Villa ended up winning the race for his signature, bringing him in for an undisclosed fee.

It was at Villa Park that he established himself as a regular in the top tier of English football. He played a total of 134 games for the Midlands outfit, before leaving for two-time Premier League champions Manchester City.

The manner of his exit from Aston Villa was the subject of much controversy. Just a week after claiming he was committed to the Villans and would not be leaving, he went back on his word and made the transfer to the Etihad Stadium for an estimated £8 million.

Nonetheless, Delph enjoyed a strong four years at Man City, winning two Premier League titles. He played a starting role in Pep Guardiola’s side that accumulated 100 points in 2017/18, featuring 22 times – mostly as a left-back.

In 2019, he departed City and moved to Everton in a deal worth up to £10m. His time at Goodison Park was blighted by injuries, as he made just 41 outings in all competitions before being released last summer.

On the international stage, Delph earned 20 caps for the England national team between 2014 and 2019. He was part of the Three Lions squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, appearing four times throughout the tournament.

Having been out of contract since the end of June, Delph has now announced his retirement from football.

In a statement on his Instagram page, the 32-year-old said: “So today I announce my retirement with nothing but happiness and gratitude for what the beautiful game has given me.

“Massive shout out to my family, friends, players and staff from the amazing clubs I have been fortunate enough to represent as well as the support I have had from the fans.”