Injuries, change of managers and bad form has impacted his time at the club where he has been deemed surplus to requirements Drinkwater will become a free agent this summer when his Chelsea contract expires on June 30.
Announcing his exit from the club, Drinkwater wrote; “My time at Chelsea FC has come to an end. “(It) actually feels really strange writing this. Me, the club and fans are hugely disappointed with the outcome there is no doubt about that. “Injuries, how I have been treated, mistakes I have made, issues of the pitch, lack of game time… the list of excuses could be endless but I would not and can not change what’s happened.
“I’m going to look at positives over the past 5 years, I have played with great players, coached by awesome managers, worked with some brilliant staff, met some fantastic people, lived in some beautiful places, travelled the world and won some more silverware. “Football is a fantastic sport but this for both parties was a business move gone wrong, it’s as black and white as that. “To the Chelsea fans I apologise for how this has turned out I would have loved for you to see me at my best in that shirt doing what I love.”