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Former Newcastle United left-back Jose Enrique has retired from football at the age of 31.

The Spaniard was part of Chris Hughton’s 2009/10 Championship-winning side and spent four years on Tyneside, before controversially joining Liverpool in 2011.

Nicknamed ‘The Bull’ due to his aggressive and muscular style, the Valencia-born defender was formerly a fans’ favourite at St James’ Park - though his relationship with Newcastle supporters deteriorated when he pushed through a transfer to Anfield.

Despite being just 31 years of age, Enrique told Spanish publication Marca that he has been forced to retire due to a knee injury he picked up on Merseyside.

The left-back returned to Spain in 2016 and spent a season playing with Real Zaragoza but, having failed to find a new club over the summer, he has decided to hang up his boots.

That is despite some left-field reports linking Enrique with a return to St James’ Park, given Rafa Benitez’s failure to sign a left-back during the final days of the summer transfer window.

“It was supposed to be for three months and it turned into two years, I saw five doctors in England, but they didn’t find the problem,” Enrique said of his injury.

“I could not play without medication, I did not even train. It was hard, desperate; sometimes I got dizzy in training on so much medication.

“After every game or effort, my knee swelled like a ball and I was barely able to walk for three days.

“It hurts me, but so many times they told me that it was a psychological problem that I came to believe it.

“I want to be an older man who can walk, not an invalid.”

Voted Newcastle fans’ player of the season for 2009/10, Enrique angered Magpies supporters when he stressed his desire to join Liverpool in 2011 in order to “play in the top six”. He eventually forced through a £7million transfer to the North West.

The following campaign, with United flying high in the league in fifth place and the Reds struggling, Newcastle supporters chanted: “Jose Enrique, we’re in the top six.”

Famously, Enrique was also forced to don the goalkeeper gloves for Liverpool against his former club after Pepe Reina was dismissed for headbutting James Perch, with the Reds having used all of their substitutes.