Premier League cult hero gives devastating health update despite winning £4m legal battle

Former Bolton frontman Ivan Klasnic has blamed painkillers for destroying his health and confessed he could die at any time. He played in the Premier League for three seasons whilst he was on the Bolton books, scoring 24 goals in 93 games, before leaving in 2012.

The Croatia international has had to undergo three kidney transplants after painkillers, given to him by former club Werder Bremen, worsened his undiagnosed renal disease.

He won almost £4million in 2020 after being involved in a 12-year legal battle against Bremen's doctors. The 45-year-old retired in 2013 but claims the medicine given to him during his playing days means he could die any minutes.

Klasnic told a German TV documentary: "Who knows how much longer I have left to live. I have to be grateful that I am still alive, even though I am ill and I need to take tablets. Of course I am furious. I would not want anybody to have to endure what I have been through.

"No matter how much money I have received in compensation, it won't bring my health back. It is difficult to get by without painkillers if you want to produce a performance on the field.

READ MORE: Man Utd will break new ground if owners stick to controversial Ruben Amorim plan

READ MORE: Next Rangers manager: Steven Gerrard jets in for talks over sensational Ibrox return

"I don't think that you can play any form of professional sport without using pain-relief drugs. But had I known that I had kidney problems, I would not have taken those medicines." Klasnic won a German league and cup double with Bremen in 2004 and can put a Champions League hat-trick on his CV. He played for French side Nantes before moving to Bolton in 2009, where he would go on to play in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final.

On the other end of the scale, players have spoken about the level of addiction in the game with ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland claiming he was addicted to painkillers for the best part of a decade. He said previously: "I was just desperate to play that first game to make sure I didn't get hammered in the press so I took them [painkillers].

"It helped with the anxiety of travelling away from home and things just progressed from there. At the start you think 'I will just take them when I travel'. But it just progresses and your body become tolerant so you need more and more. They start to effect you mentally and you are a totally different person.

"I broke down again in 2019 and that's when I first went to rehab and got off them again. What I didn't do, which I am this time, is tell people."

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.