Norwich City academy keeper Jayden St Paul has been forced to retire due to a serious knee injury.

The 20-year-old, who signed a contract extension with the Canaries at the start of this season, announced the decision on his social media account on Monday afternoon, after a series of operations on a knee issue going back two years.

Jon Rowe, Abu Kamara, Jonathan Tomkinson and Vicente Reyes were among the City first team squad to wish St Paul all the best, along with former loanee Isaac Hayden.

The keeper signed his first professional contract with the Canaries in 2021, after joining from Uxbridge FC following a trial.

He posted the following on Instagram: “As some of you may know over the past two years I have battled with a serious knee injury. I have gone through multiple surgeries, had different procedures and received multiple opinions from specialists.

"After careful consideration, I have made the decision to retire from professional football. Although this was an extremely tough decision, I am confident this is the right one. I gave everything into trying to return to play but it has gotten to the point where prioritising my physical and mental health is more important.

“I want to thank my family, friends and Norwich City for supporting through this tough time. Despite this being a major setback in my life, I can walk away with a smile knowing I gave everything into the game and look forward to whatever exciting opportunities come my way.

“It can’t rain forever, better days are coming.”

St Paul also revealed in the same post his personal journey from joining the Canaries, the injury setbacks and final decision to retire from the professional ranks, will be released later this week.

“I have collaborated with @blackarrow_fc and @grassrootsandbeyond to tell my story which hopefully other people in a similar position or anyone going through a major setback can relate to.

"I speak about my journey into a professional academy, the tough truths about the game, suffering and dealing with depression, and understanding that it’s okay to ask for help when you need it. This will be released later this week.”