Drinkwater reveals Ferguson shut him down in tense contract talks at Manchester United

Danny Drinkwater has lifted the lid on a fraught contract negotiation with Sir Alex Ferguson during his time in Manchester United’s youth system, describing how the legendary manager swiftly silenced him when he pushed for better terms.

Drinkwater, who spent 13 years in United’s academy without making a first-team appearance before joining Leicester City in 2012, told The Athletic that around the age of 18 he was unhappy with the terms being offered on one of his early professional contracts. Rather than confront Ferguson directly, he twice asked club captain Gary Neville to negotiate on his behalf — a role Neville apparently took on for several young players at the club.

“Gaz had already been in twice for me,” Drinkwater said. “He got it increased — we’re talking around five grand a month. He’s gone in and got a slightly better deal, and then I told him, ‘Oh, I don’t feel it’s fair Gaz.’ He’s gone back in, come out and nothing’s happened.”

Still unsatisfied, Drinkwater eventually decided to sit down with Ferguson himself — a decision he quickly came to regret. “I’ve gone in to talk about how it’s not fair and he’s just shut me down,” he recalled. “I was like, ‘It’s absolutely fine. You’re the God.’”

Neville’s response before that meeting was equally blunt. “Even Gazza was like, ‘F***ing hell Drinks, you’re playing reserve football. What do you expect?’” Drinkwater said.

Reflecting on the episode, Drinkwater acknowledged that Ferguson’s well-known aversion to agents may have shaped the dynamic. “I knew he hated agents. As a kid, do you need an agent? I don’t know,” he said, adding that he had signed with his first agent at 15 but felt uncertain whether that was necessary at such a young age.

Despite the uncomfortable experience, Drinkwater was generous in his assessment of Neville’s role at the club. “He did that for quite a lot of players. He was top around the club, brilliant.”

Drinkwater went on to leave United without a senior appearance, but carved out a notable career elsewhere — most memorably winning the Premier League title with Leicester City in 2016 before later joining Chelsea.