Premier League winner opens up on ‘unfair’ Sir Alex Ferguson row that involved Gary Neville

Danny Drinkwater has opened up on being shut down by Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson after an ‘unfair’ contract demand. The former Leicester and Chelsea midfielder started his career at Carrington and spent 13 years within the youth ranks at the club.

He never made a first-team appearance for the Red Devils before leaving permanently for Leicester, where he won the Premier League in 2016. Despite that, he still had to negotiate with legendary former boss Ferguson over contracts - and on one occasion it went spectacularly wrong for the midfielder despite having asked for help from Gary Neville.

Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “I didn’t like the way he [Sir Alex] negotiated contracts, that’s it. But obviously that’s in my favour.

“I was only 18 and it was only my first or my second pro [professional deal]. I’ve gone in to talk about how it’s not fair and he just shut me down which is absolutely fine, you’re the God.

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“Gaz Neville had already been in twice for me and got it increased. So he’s got it increased. I mean we’re talking about like five grand, not a week, a year. And then I’ve said ‘I don’t feel it’s fair, Gaz.’

“He’s gone back in, come out. Nothing’s happened. I’ve asked ‘how is this fair?’ And even Gaz has said ‘f****** hell Drinks, you’re playing reserve football, what do you expect?’

“So I’ve gone in to see the gaffer and the gaffer has just hammered me. And I’ve been like ‘yeah, alright, sweet’.”

He added: “I knew he [Ferguson] hated agents. As a kid, do you need an agent? I don’t know. I was with my first agent when I was 15. I had a two-year agency deal with him.

“But as a kid, I don’t think I really needed one. I didn’t really want to give with an agent after that contract ended. And I think that was the period I asked Gaz Neville to go in as a great figure in the club.

“I don’t want to say backed me up because I didn’t have anything about me whatsoever but I fine-tuned it at the last minute.

“He did that for quite a lot of players. He was top around the club brilliant. He did that on one deal, twice.

“He came out with a slightly improved better deal. As a kid, I don’t know if it was greed or I was curious. I asked ‘can you try again’ sort of thing. And he came out the second time and he told me to do one which was fine. That was my chance to go in and see where it was at. Looking back, it was a great experience but I was nervous for that.”