Former Manchester United and England international Ashley Young has confirmed he is retiring from professional football at the age of 40, bringing an end to a career that has spanned more than two decades.
Young is currently with Ipswich Town and says he remains fully focused on helping the club secure promotion back to the Premier League on the final day of the Championship season.
In a statement released through Ipswich Town, he reflected on his long career, saying he feels proud of what he has achieved and considers himself fortunate to have lived his football dream over 23 years in the game. He added that he will take time after the season to think about his next steps, but insisted his immediate priority is Saturday’s decisive match.
He said his attention is fully on helping Ipswich achieve their promotion target before turning to life after football.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna paid tribute to Young, describing his professionalism, competitiveness, and consistency as a major influence on the squad since his arrival. McKenna said it had been an honour to work with him at both Manchester United and Ipswich Town, and noted that the veteran defender is determined to finish his career by helping the team reach its goal.
Young’s career has included spells at Watford, Aston Villa, Everton, Inter Milan, and Ipswich Town, alongside a highly successful nine-year period at Manchester United.
On the international stage, he earned 39 caps for England and featured at Euro 2012 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
His trophy cabinet includes a Premier League title, FA Cup, Europa League, and League Cup with Manchester United, as well as a Serie A title with Inter Milan during the 2020–21 season before returning to English football with Aston Villa.
