The then 31-year-old decided to call it a day rather than make the long move north, claiming there had been transfer interest from Aberdeen amid his ongoing injury issues.
11:11, 29 May 2026
The striker made three appearances for England including a debut against Germany in 2008
The striker made three appearances for England including a debut against Germany in 2008(Image: Getty)
Former England striker Gabby Agbonlahor has revealed he chose to retire from football after receiving transfer interest from Aberdeen.
The Aston Villa star hung up the boots at 31 back in 2018 following 13 years at Villa Park, with the forward having struggled with recurring calf issues.
But he had considered trying to revive his career late on, only then deciding against it after discovering just how far away from home he could end up moving.
On the latest episode of the In The Mixer podcast, Agbonlahor said: "I finished my contract at Aston Villa and thought: 'Let me just take my time on it.' Then I remember my agent phoning me – I’ve never said this before…
Gabby Agbonlahor
Gabby Agbonlahor (Image: Getty Images)
"He was like: 'Aberdeen?' No disrespect to Aberdeen, but I put it in the satnav app and it said it was an eight-hour drive or something.
"So I sent it to him and I said: 'I’m not sure this is going to work, it’s a bit far.' He laughed and I was like: 'No, I think I’ll stop!'"
Agbonlahor made nearly 400 appearances for the Villans, scoring 86 goals in the process, and he enjoyed brief loan stints across England with Sheffield Wednesday and Watford.
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The striker was capped three times by England, making his debut against Germany in 2008 under Fabio Capello.