Image: Gabby Agbonlahor has retired from football at the age of 32

Former Aston Villa and England forward Gabriel Agbonlahor has retired from professional football at the age of 32.

The striker has been without a club since leaving Villa last summer following a 17-year spell at Villa Park.

Agbonlahor said in an Instagram post on Wednesday: "If I would have been told at school I would play nearly 400 league games be the record premiership goal scorer for Aston Villa, captain the great club and represent England at senior

level I would of laughed!!!

"The time has come to officially retire and watch Aston Villa as a fan!!!

"I wanna say thank you to all the supporters the staff I have worked with at a great club and my ex-teammates. The thought of playing for another team or playing against Aston Villa was something I just couldn't do.


"I look forward to whatever the future holds."

The striker came through the youth ranks at Villa, and played nearly 341 times for the senior team, scoring 75 goals since making his Premier League debut against Everton in 2006, at the age of 19.

Agbonlahor, who also qualified to play for Nigeria and Scotland, played three times for England between 2009 and 2009

against Germany, Spain and Belarus.

The boyhood Villa fan has also spent time out on loan with Watford and Sheffield Wednesday.