Bruno Fernandes has written a heartfelt tribute to Donny van de Beek as the Dutch player bids farewell to Manchester United.
Van de Beek, who joined Old Trafford in 2020 for a substantial £35 million from Ajax, struggled to make a significant impact during his time at the Theatre of Dreams, managing only 62 appearances over an underwhelming four-year period.
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The departure of the Dutch international marks the first major move of the summer for United as they prepare to offload other players under the guidance of new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox.
Following loan spells at Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt, the 27-year-old midfielder is now set to join La Liga’s Girona, with the transfer reportedly starting at £420,000 and potentially rising to £12.7 million.
Fernandes, who established himself at United shortly before Van de Beek’s arrival, posted a touching farewell to his friend.
“You deserve the best,” he wrote, adding a red heart emoji. Departing with a heavy heart, Van de Beek also took to Instagram to express his gratitude, acknowledging the support from the Manchester United fans despite his struggles on the pitch.
He said: “Dear Manchester United family. Today is a memorable day as my adventure at the club comes to an end. I want to thank you all for your support throughout the years,” reports the Express. “From the moment we arrived at Manchester United, we felt extremely welcome and we are grateful for that.”
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Van de Beek added: “Thank you to everyone at the club for making us feel at home. A special thanks to all the fans that made these years unforgettable. Besides the football, the birth of our two children here ensures that Manchester will always have a special place in our hearts. Good luck to everybody, we’ll meet again.”
Kobbie Mainoo, along with former teammates Davvy Klaassen and Timothy Fosu-Mensah, showed their support by sending emojis in response to Van de Beek’s heartfelt post.
Mainoo posted a single heart emoji, while Klaassen did the same. Meanwhile, Dutch star Fosu-Mensah, connected to Van de Beek through their Ajax beginnings, added a bunch of hearts.