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FORMER Manchester United player Ashley Young has revealed that he is in need of a hip replacement, shortly after announcing his retirement.
The 41-year-old wrapped up his 23-year career this summer, following a brief spell at Ipswich Town, where the Tractor Boys earned their place back in the Premier League.
On the High Performance Podcast, Young discussed the challenges he has been facing with his hip.
He mentioned: “I fell on my hip in November and received an injection. I’ve always told myself: ‘If my body is signaling that I need injections, there’s an issue and it’s time to think about retirement’.
“Ultimately, I need a hip replacement. In November, I was told it would be necessary within about ten years.
“By January, I needed another injection to help me complete the season, as I informed the specialist, ‘I know it’s painful, but I want to do everything I can to assist the team’.
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“About a week before my scheduled injection, I collapsed in training and thought, ‘This is significantly worse, I know it’s worse’.”
Young then revealed that a specialist told him his hip had deteriorated considerably, projecting a two-year timeline for a replacement.
He concluded that this condition arose from overuse during his extensive 756-game senior career, which spanned from 2003 to 2026.
The 41-year-old found himself unable to train for three months but remained committed to ending his career on a high note.
He expressed: “From January to the end of the season, I truly couldn’t train for around two to three months due to the pain. When I saw the specialist again, I stated, ‘I’m not going to leave it like this’. He indicated that he wasn’t keen on giving me another injection, as it might weaken the area.
“I asked him, ‘Are you saying I can’t play football again? If I get the chance to step back on the pitch, I will.’
“During the last two months of the season, I trained every day, and he was like, ‘That’s not advisable, you shouldn’t be training’.”
The former England player’s resolve led him to train persistently during the critical end-of-season phase, even without stepping onto the field.
He noted: “It would have been fantastic to make an appearance in the final game of the season, but just being able to train that week and celebrating our promotion on the last day made it feel fitting.”
Ipswich clinched the second position in the Championship, achieving their promotion back to the Premier League on the first attempt.
This achievement marked the final highlight of Young’s remarkable career, which included triumphs in the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup, and League Cup with Manchester United.
Young also secured a Serie A title in 2021 during his tenure at Inter Milan.
