Davide Santon has been forced to announce an early retirement from professional football. The 31-year-old was part of the side that finished fifth in the Premier League under Alan Pardew in 2011-12.
Arriving from Inter Milan for £5million, the Italian was tasked with replacing Jose Enrique - who had recently left for Liverpool. Newcastle United fans were impressed with Santon’s marauding runs from left-back and he quickly became a first-team stalwart.
However, a knee injury caused him to lose his place to the more defensively-astute Paul Dummett in 2014 - and his career never recovered. Despite a move back to Inter Milan, Santon's knee troubles continued to plague him and he never made more than 17 league appearances in a single season again.
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The decision to call time on a once-promising career came after failing to make a single appearance for Jose Mourinho’s Roma last season. Santon was released from his contract in May and, after three months of reflection, cited injuries as his reason to retire.
“I am forced to stop playing,” the Italian said. “Not for not having had offers, not for anything else, but because my body, with so many injuries in the past, can’t take it anymore. I am forced to do it. I don’t want to, but I have to.
“I have my left knee where I didn’t have an operation, but it went. It prevents me from many things.
“And then there’s the famous right knee, operated on three times. Cartilage removed, all the external meniscus… but as soon as I do minimum exertion, it swells and no longer bends.
“In Serie A you have to push, the right knee doesn’t bend, I strained the left leg and the flexor is… gone. Every slightest effort there is always to stretch, to stay still. You play a race, you stay out of five.”
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