Former Aston Villa star Ashley Young has revealed he will require a hip replacement, a consequence of a career spanning 22 years and more than 750 professional matches. The 41-year-old hung up his boots in April 2026, after a final stint with Ipswich Town, but the physical toll of two decades at the top level has left him facing surgery within the next two years.
Young, who enjoyed two separate spells at Villa Park, made the disclosure during an appearance on the High Performance podcast, detailing the pain he endured in his final months as a professional. He explained that a hip injury in November 2025 led to an injection, and a subsequent scan revealed the severity of the damage.
A painful final season at Ipswich
During the 2025/26 season, Young featured 15 times for Ipswich Town as the club pushed for promotion back to the Premier League. It was during this campaign that his long-standing hip problems came to a head. "I went down on my hip in November and had an injection," Young said. "I have always said to myself: 'If my body is saying you need injections, there is a problem, you need to think about retiring.'"
He added: "Basically I need a hip replacement, in November I was told I would need it in about 10 years time. I got to January and was due to have another injection which would have got me through to the end of the season, as I was saying to the specialist 'I know it is painful, but I want to make sure I do everything I can possibly do to help the team.'"
However, just a week before the planned injection, Young suffered another setback. "About a week before I am about to have the injection, I go down on it in training and I am like 'this is worse, I know it is a lot worse.'" A specialist subsequently confirmed that his hip had deteriorated significantly, giving him a two-year window to undergo replacement surgery.
A career defined by longevity and success
Young's decision to retire came after a career that saw him play for Watford, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Everton, and finally Ipswich Town. His journey, as he described in an Instagram post announcing his retirement, took him "from Sefton Road to Vicarage Road to Villa Park to Wembley to Old Trafford to San Siro back to Villa Park to Goodison Park and finally to Portman Road."
He wrote: "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. To be continued…."
Tributes from across the football world
The announcement drew tributes from former teammates and rivals alike. Former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea simply wrote: "What a career." Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, a long-time on-pitch adversary, added: "Congratulations on an amazing career." The official England account also posted: "Congratulations on a fantastic career!"
Villa Park: A second home
Young's connection with Aston Villa runs deep. He first joined the club from Watford in 2007, impressing over four seasons before moving to Manchester United in 2011. He returned to Villa Park in 2021, spending two further seasons with the club, taking his total appearances to 247, with 38 goals and 53 assists.
His contributions helped Villa during a period of transition, and he remains a popular figure among supporters. The news of his hip replacement has prompted an outpouring of well-wishes from the Villa faithful, who remember his explosive pace and pinpoint crosses.
Looking ahead
Young now faces the prospect of hip replacement surgery, a procedure that will likely end any hopes of a coaching return in the near future. Yet, his legacy as one of English football's most durable and versatile players is secure. With over 750 career appearances, including 39 caps for England, he leaves the game as a model professional who maximised his talent through dedication and resilience.
For Aston Villa fans, his two spells will be remembered fondly, not just for the numbers, but for the commitment he showed every time he pulled on the claret and blue shirt. As he prepares for surgery, the football community stands behind him, celebrating a career that defied expectations and spanned generations.
