Ex-Aston Villa star Ashley Young announces his retirement

Former Aston Villa star Ashley Young has announced his decision to retire from professional football at the end of the season.

The 40-year-old - who currently plays for Ipswich Town in the Championship - made 247 appearances across two separate spells at Villa Park.

On social media platform X, Young posted: “It’s been some journey that I only dreamt of as a boy.

“But with this dream, there has to be an ending and Saturday might be the last game of my professional career. 23 years and out. To be continued.”

Young started his career at Watford where he achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2006 before signing for Villa midway into his debut campaign in the top-flight.

He broke into the England team during his time with the Villans and scored seven goals in 39 caps during an international career spanning 11 years.

In that time, Young represented the Three Lions at Euro 2012 and featured five times en route to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018.

In total, Young scored 38 goals in 190 appearances in his first spell at Villa - reaching the League Cup final in 2010 which ended in defeat against Manchester United.

Young joined the latter in 2011 and won the Premier League title at the end of his first season at Old Trafford.

He also went on to win the FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League in the post-Alex Ferguson era - finishing his United career with 19 goals in 261 games.

A further 18 months in Italy with Inter Milan followed which heralded a Europa League runners-up medal and a Serie A title the following year.

Since, Young returned for a second spell at Villa Park where he played 57 times between 2021 and 2023.

Young also scored twice in 70 appearances in two seasons with Everton, before joining Ipswich Town last summer.