Former Celtic winger Derk Boerrigter announces retirement

Derk Boerrigter in action for Celtic against Hearts' Callum Paterson in 2013. Picture: Craig Foy/SNS

The Parkhead club paid Ajax £3 million for the Dutch winger in 2013. However, he was released in April 2016, 14 months before the end of his contract.

Boerrigter endured an injury-plagued spell in Scotland, suffering a broken ankle, and started just eight games.

The 31-year-old has since been unable to find a new club to match his expectations.

He said: “I hoped that I could still find an attractive club and carry on playing football.

“Some clubs did come in for me, but none of them were worth bothering about.

“They did not offer me a sporting challenge, or tempt me financially.

“People often think: ‘That Boerrigter is injury-prone.’ But I have never had a serious muscle injury or a torn hamstring.

“Whenever I got injured it was as a result of a kick. The last time I played, the first time I received a pass someone launched a two-footed assault on my ankles from behind.

“I thought if that was how it was going to be, I would stop playing.

“I prefer not to play football any more at that level.”