Ashley Young will retire at the end of the season

Former England striker Ashley Young said he will retire at the end of the season, ending a career that has spanned more than two decades.

The 40-year-old, currently at Championship side Ipswich Town, has made more than 750 club appearances and scored 88 goals in spells at Watford, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Everton.

«From Sefton Road to ‌Vicarage Road to Villa Park to Wembley to Old Trafford to San Siro, back to ‌Villa Park to Goodison Park and finally to ‌Portman ⁠Road. It’s been a journey I only dreamed of as a boy,» Young said in a Instagram message on Thursday.

“But this dream must come to an end and Saturday could be the last match of my professional career.”

Young started his career at Watford, making his senior debut in 2003 and playing a key role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2006.

He later moved to Aston Villa in 2007, where he became one of the league’s most effective wide players, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2009.

His performances led to a transfer to Manchester United in 2011 under manager Alex Ferguson. Young enjoyed his most successful spell at Old Trafford, winning the Premier League title in the 2012-13 season, the FA Cup in 2016 and the Europa League in 2017.

During nine seasons at Manchester United, he evolved from an attacking winger to a full defender, later serving as the club’s captain before leaving in 2020.

Young then spent a season in Italy with Inter Milan, with whom he won the Serie ⁠A title in the 2020-2021 season. He then returned to Villa before later playing for Everton and Ipswich.

Internationally, Young played 39 times for England between 2007 and 2018, representing his country at the 2012 European Championship and the 2018 World Cup.

Published on April 30, 2026