Drinkwater revealed on The Athletic's "Truth or Padel" show that Sir Alex Ferguson harshly criticized him while he was negotiating his first professional contract with Manchester United at age 18.

The 36-year-old former midfielder spent three years with Manchester United's first team but never made a senior appearance for the Red Devils.

However, he did sign a professional contract in his late teens. Without an agent, Drinkwater had to handle the contract details himself, with some assistance from Gary Neville.

Drinkwater attempted to negotiate for more money from Old Trafford but quickly encountered resistance.

He said: "I must have been 18, and I think it was my first or second professional contract. I walked in, and Ferguson just went off at me."

"Gary Neville had helped me negotiate twice before. He'd increased the contract fee, adding £5,000 a year, but I felt it wasn't fair."

"He went back in to negotiate again, and when he came out, nothing had changed. I thought, 'How is that fair?' But he said, 'My God, Drinkwater, you're playing for the reserves, what more do you want?'"

"So I went back to the manager, and the manager went off at me again!"

As a senior figure at the club, Neville was often called upon by young players to help negotiate contracts with Ferguson, who famously disliked football agents.

Drinkwater said: "He helped a lot of players do that. He had a lot of credibility at the club."

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