Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater hasn’t had the ideal first season at Stamford Bridge, and speculation is linking him with an exit after just a year.
As per BBC Sport, the 28-year-old joined the Blues from Leicester City last summer in a £35m deal, but he hasn’t been able to make as big an impression as he would have hoped.
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Drinkwater has been limited to just 22 appearances in all competitions, with injuries and competition for places going against him this season leading to a restricted role in Chelsea’s midfield.
In turn, that has naturally led to question marks over his future at the club as he’ll want a more prominent role at this stage of his career, with The Guardian reporting that the England international could consider an exit this summer to find a better solution if things don’t improve for him at Chelsea.
It remains to be seen what Chelsea’s plans are this summer in the transfer market as that could also have a negative impact on his thinking for his own future, but having been such a pivotal figure for the Foxes previously, it will undoubtedly be difficult for him to adjust to this new reserve role.
Coupled with the fact that he has fallen out of favour with the national team too given he’s only made five Premier League starts, it’s not been a great year for him and it’s certainly understandable if he is eager to consider his options at the end of the season.
From a Chelsea perspective, it arguably presents them with a headache as they’ll be losing key depth in midfield if Drinkwater does seek an exit.