Ex-Premier League star loses £782k after restaurant business fails – and his latest eatery is £1.1m in debt

FORMER Premier League star Danny Drinkwater has lost £782,000 from a failed restaurant business.

The ex-Chelsea and Leicester City footballer — who announced his retirement last week, aged 33 — was informed of the loss by liquidators.

Danny Drinkwater, who announced his retirement last week, was informed by liquidators of a loss of £782,000 from his failed restaurant businessNigel French / PA Wire

His trendy Manchester restaurant FoodWell, opened in 2018, went bust last year after racking up £2million debts.

Drinkwater told how his career crashed after he moved from Leicester to Chelsea in a £35million deal in 2017, but made little impression.

He said: “It was the darkest I’d felt. It was like I was drowning and forgotten how to swim.

“Anyone who thinks earning good money will solve all of your problems is not true at all.

“Mental health is more important than physical. It was the darkest I’d ever felt and it was like I was drowning and forgotten how to swim.”

He will be hoping his latest restaurant business has better luck, despite currently being £1.1million in debt.

Drinkwater now owns 70 per cent of restaurant business Firefly, also in Manchester.