Danny Drinkwater has revealed how an early contract dispute at Manchester United left him facing a stern dressing-down from legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, despite getting help from former captain Gary Neville.

Drinkwater came through United’s academy and spent more than a decade at the club before eventually moving to Leicester City. Although he never played a senior competitive match for United, he was involved in contract negotiations with Ferguson during his time as a young professional.

Speaking to The Athletic, Drinkwater recalled being dissatisfied with the terms of one of his early professional contracts. He said Neville, who was highly respected within the club, had already intervened on his behalf and managed to secure an improved offer.

Drinkwater admitted that he subsequently asked Neville to try once more, believing the deal could be made better. However, the second attempt produced no further improvement.

According to Drinkwater, Neville’s response made it clear that he was pushing his luck as a reserve-team player. He recalled Neville effectively telling him that there was little reason to expect much more while he was still playing reserve football.

The former midfielder then decided to raise the matter directly with Ferguson. Instead of securing another increase, he found himself on the receiving end of a fierce response from the United boss.

Drinkwater said the experience was intimidating, particularly because he was still a teenager trying to establish himself at one of England’s biggest clubs. He nevertheless believes the encounter became a valuable lesson about football, contracts and dealing with senior figures.

He also explained that he had reservations about using an agent at that stage of his career. Drinkwater had signed with an agent as a 15-year-old but later chose not to continue with representation, which prompted him to turn to Neville for guidance during the negotiations.

Looking back, Drinkwater said Neville had been helpful to several young players around the club and described the experience of negotiating with Ferguson as nerve-racking but ultimately useful.

Drinkwater’s career eventually took him away from Old Trafford, with his biggest achievement coming at Leicester, where he played a key role in the club’s remarkable Premier League title triumph in 2016.