Danny Drinkwater Aims for Return to Football with Former Teammate N’Golo Kante
Former Chelsea and Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater is without a club and has not played a professional match for over a year, but he is determined to get back on the pitch and has suggested a link-up with former teammate N’Golo Kante in Saudi Arabia.
The 33-year-old’s contract expired last summer, ending his disastrous spell at Chelsea, and his last outing was for Reading during a loan spell with the Royals in the Championship in April 2022. Since then, he has not been snapped up by any club, but he is hoping that will change soon.
Kante has signed for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad and Drinkwater believes they should be exploring the possibility of pairing the two men up again after they won the Premier League together with Leicester and Chelsea.
“If I was to team up again with Kante, the team knows they’ve got a Premier League-winning formula there,” Drinkwater told SportBible. “If that’s something they are interested in then I’m game. I think bringing players like Benzema, Ronaldo and Kante to the country is massively attractive for other professionals as well. You want to test yourself. I’d be more than willing to listen to offers and have a look. I’m sure it would be a great experience. They are building towards something special.”
Drinkwater’s finest moments came in a Leicester shirt as he was a key player in their incredible title-winning side of 2016, making over 200 appearances for the Foxes in all competitions. He also expressed an interest in going back to help them bounce back after relegation to the Championship.
“I would like to go back,” he said. “I’d like to be a part of the story again, helping them get back to where they belong. When I’m fit, the quality is still there. If a team can get me to match fitness and flying again then I’ll be nothing but a benefit to that club. I’d also like to think I’m a big asset off the pitch. If it’s something the Leicester fans want then they need to make more noise about it. Let’s see what happens.”
Danny Drinkwater is clearly determined to make a return to first team football as soon as possible and is open to exploring any opportunities that come his way. With his former teammate Kante now playing in Saudi Arabia, it could be the perfect opportunity for the two men to reunite and help each other on their respective paths back to the top of the game.