Former Gunner announces retirement at 33

Former Gunner announces retirement at 33Former Arsenal striker Chuks Aneke has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33.Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty ImagesPosting on social media on Wednesday, former Gunner Chuks Aneke revealed that he’s retiring from his playing days.“I’d like to officially announce my retirement from professional football,” Aneke wrote on Instagram.“Also like to express my gratitude to all the coaches all the staff, my teachers, my friends and my family and the fans, the ones who supported me and the ones who’s didn’t.“It was all part of an amazing journey and I wouldn’t change it. Looking forward to the Second Half.”Photo by Victor Fraile/Getty ImagesAneke played for the Arsenal academy from the age of seven all the way through to the first-team, making his senior debut in a League Cup win over Shrewsbury in 2011.That senior appearance was folllowed by a few loan spells, with Aneke playing for Stevenage, Preston North End, and Crewe Alexandra.The striker was then released and moved to the Belgian Pro League with Zulte Waregem. But he returned to England a couple of years later, spending the remainder of his career with the MK Dons, Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City, and Shrewsbury Town.Photo by Jacques Feeney/Getty ImagesAneke’s retirement had been hinted at earlier this year, with Shrewsbury confirming that the player had stepped away from his playing duties to work with the club’s recruitment department. But he hadn’t officially confirmed his retirement until now.Aneke had plenty of career highlights, beginning with his youth accolades of winning the Premier Academy League with Arsenal and the u17 Euros with England.At senior level, Aneke won the EFL Trophy with Crewe Alexandra in 2012, and he achieved promotions to League One with MK Dons and to the Championship with Charlton.Given he scored 19 goals in the MK Dons’ promotion campaign, the forward could arguably call that his best individual season.We wish the former Gunner the best with whatever’s next in his career.Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images