Ashley Young isn’t even thinking about retirement.
He’s a veteran fullback from England. He played as a winger in his younger days, and is very aggressive and has an excellent wind-up shot with a precise kick. He has a strong work ethic and a lot of energy, making him a valuable contributor to both sides of the ball.
Twenty years ago, he made his senior debut for Watford. He scored three goals in five appearances for the Hornets, who were in the First Division at the time, and quickly established himself as a regular. In 2005-06, he scored 13 goals in 39 games in the second division, and in the promotion playoffs, he scored one goal and provided one assist in three games to help the team win promotion.
In the first half of the 2006-07 season, Aston Villa made an offer for Young, who had adapted well to life in the PL. In the second half of the season, he made 13 appearances and established himself as a quality striker, scoring eight goals and providing 16 assists in the league in 2007-08. His consistency and attacking credentials attracted the attention of Manchester United, and he arrived at Old Trafford ahead of the 2011-12 season.
Young carved out a niche for himself at United. He was never a regular starter, but he was a consistent 20+ game player every season and enjoyed a period of glory with the Red Devils. His career tally is 19 goals and 43 assists in 261 games. He lifted many trophies, including the PL title, English FA Cup, English Football League Cup (EFL Cup), and UEFA Europa League (UEL).
Over time, Young has earned the title of ‘veteran’. In the 2019-20 season, he left the club and headed to Inter Milan for a new challenge. He spent a season and a half in Italy before returning to England ahead of the 2021-22 season with a move to ‘home’ club Villa. At an age when he should have been thinking about retirement, Young gave it his ‘old man’s fight’. In 2022-23, he scored one goal in 32 games, including cup competitions. 온라인바카라
He parted ways with Villa this summer, but it wasn’t a ‘retirement’ – he found a new Everton shirt and continued his career, playing full-time in all four league games.
38 years old. At an age when other players would have called it quits, the word “retirement” was not on his mind. According to the Liverpool Echo, he said, “Is this my last season? I don’t think so. I’m not ready to retire yet. Who knows what will happen next season, and the season after that, but I would never say that this will be my last dance.”