Danny Drinkwater says his time at Chelsea has been a “shambles”, with the 31-year-old midfielder becoming a £35 million ($48m) flop for the Blues following a transfer from Leicester in 2017.

The England international on another loan spell away from Stamford Bridge this season after linking up with Championship side Reading.

Drinkwater, who has made just 12 Premier League appearances for Chelsea and 23 in total across all competitions, told talkSPORT, via Goal, when assessing his time in west London: “Can I paint a picture? No. It’s been a shambles.

“It’s football, it’s never straightforward, it’s never simple. I’m just excited for the new challenges. I need to [kick-start my career]. I’m more excited about this than I have been for a few years now, especially how my career’s panned out.

“Games, getting the enjoyment of football back, then going from there. A few have slid away, I’ve made mistakes, I’ve not played.

“I’m in the last year of my contract, so there’s more than just football riding on it. I’ve got other things.”

He added: “I’m desperate for games, I know my position and I know it’s not what I’ve expected for 10 years. So I’ve got to make changes and I’m making the right steps.

“I’ve just got to keep in contact with the manager, trust each other and trust the team. Hopefully they trust me and we can build on that.”