Daniel Noel Drinkwater (born 5 March 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Aston Villa, on loan from fellow Premier League club Chelsea, and the England national team. He previously played for Manchester United and Leicester City, and has spent time on loan at Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Watford and Barnsley. Drinkwater has also played internationally for England at under-18 and under-19 levels. He is a Premier League winner, having won the competition with Leicester in the 2015–16 season.
Born in Manchester, Drinkwater joined the Manchester United academy at the age of nine, progressing through the ranks before earning a trainee contract in July 2006. In his first season at the club, Drinkwater became a regular in the Manchester United under-18 team, making 27 appearances and scoring two goals. He received his first taste of reserve team action that same season, coming off the bench to replace Ritchie Jones in a 5–2 Premier Reserve League win at home to Wigan Athletic. The following season, Drinkwater consolidated his position in the under-18s team while increasing his presence in the reserves. In the 2008 Lancashire Senior Cup final against Liverpool on 31 July 2008, Drinkwater came on as a 56th-minute substitute for Rodrigo Possebon before scoring the winning goal three minutes from full-time. In the 2008–09 season, Drinkwater became a regular in the reserve team, making 18 appearances and getting on the scoresheet twice.