Ashley Young has decided to continue his playing career at the age of 40 by signing for Championship outfit Ipswich Town.
The former Manchester United star started his career as a winger at Watford and made his first senior appearance in 2003.
After establishing himself in the Premier League at Aston Villa, Sir Alex Ferguson signed Ashley Young for a fee of around £17 million.
Young proved to be a magnificent servant at Old Trafford, playing multiple positions in the team over 9 years. He won five trophies at United, including the Premier League, FA Cup and the Europa League.
The England international moved to Inter Milan in 2020 before returning to Villa and spending two years at Everton.
Following his Everton exit at the end of the season, Young completed a move to Ipswich Town in the Championship, where his experience will be valued.
Ashley Young reveals Kieran McKenna influence behind transfer
Young will drop back down to the Championship rather than hang up his boots.
The 40-year-old signs a one-year deal, having previously worked with Kieran McKenna during the Northern Irishman’s time on the backroom staff at United.
In his first interview with Town TV, Young made it clear that McKenna played a huge role in his decision to sign for Ipswich.
“I think the manager played a big part in that,” Young said. “I worked with him at United, I know his beliefs, I know what he wants to do for this club, I’ve seen what he’s done with this club as well.
“Obviously it was disappointing last season, but speaking to him before joining, I knew that I wanted to come and play under him. I know how passionate he is about football and what he wants to achieve and that’s to get back to the Premier League.
“He’s a winner. You see that on the training pitch, you see that on the sidelines of the games.
“I’ve seen that day in, day out when I’ve worked with him previously. He was a massive pull, but the club as a whole as well, the fanbase, the players.
“Coming up against Ipswich sides, it’s never easy to play against an Ipswich side. [After] the excitement of last season, there’s definitely something to build on this season to get the club back into the Premier League.”
Ipswich Town fans will be excited by the fact that they have secured a player who has been successful at the highest level of the game. They will hope it gives them a boost in their bid for promotion back to the top flight.
When is Young next in action?
Ipswich Town have three more pre-season friendlies to play before they kick off their new Championship season against Birmingham City on 8 August.
The Tractor Boys face Aberdeen on Thursday before taking on Charlton and Auxerre.
Young will be available for selection to feature in all of the pre-season games, but it remains to be seen what kind of role he will play in McKenna’s side as one of his most experienced players.
