Former Prem Striker Says 'Who Knows How Much Longer I Have Left to Live' In Heartbreaking Admission

A former Premier League striker who spent three seasons in England's top flight has opened up about his ongoing health issues, stating that he doesn't know how much longer he has left to live.

Ivan Klasnic, who scored 20 goals in 77 Premier League matches for Bolton Wanderers between 2009 and 2012, suffered kidney failure while playing for German side Werder Bremen in 2006.

He received a transplant from his mother, Sima, in January 2007, but his body rejected the organ, leading to him receiving a second kidney from his father, John, which was successful for nine years.

Klasnic had a third kidney operation in October 2017 after a donor was found.

Back in 2020, the former Croatia international was awarded more than €4 million (£3.6m) in damages following a legal fight that lasted more than a decade.

Ivan Klasnic spent three seasons in the Premier League. Image credit: Getty

Klasnic pictured scoring against Manchester City. Image credit: Getty

Klasnic, who played for Nantes, Bolton and Mainz after leaving Werder Bremen in 2008, argued that the painkillers he was prescribed during his time with the Bundesliga club ultimately contributed to his kidney damage. He retired in 2013.

Now aged 45, the former striker has given a heartbreaking update on his health.

"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," he told a German TV documentary, as per the Daily Mail.

"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."

He added: "It is difficult to get by without painkillers if you want to produce a performance on the field. 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 gives free beer to fans on Werder Bremen's 125th birthday in 2024. Image credit: Getty

As mentioned above, Klasnic received millions in damages following a lengthy legal battle, which saw two doctors who worked on Werder Bremen's behalf punished as a result.

According to BMJ: "Götz Dimanski, who was Werder Bremen’s team doctor in 2007, and Manju Guha, a cardiologist who was responsible for annual routine internal examinations at the time, were ordered to pay for Klasnic’s past and future medical costs, as well as damages for loss of income."