Bruno Fernandes delivers four-word verdict after Man Utd transfer exit confirmed

Bruno Fernandes has delivered a touching message to Donny van de Beek after the Dutch midfielder confirmed his Manchester United exit.

The midfielder joined Old Trafford in 2020 from Ajax in a £35million deal but failed to set Old Trafford alight as he made 62 appearances during a miserable four-year spell at the club. Van de Beek becomes United's first high profile departure of the summer, as the club prepare to offload the likes of Mason Greenwood in Sir Jim Ratcliffe's first transfer window after adding sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox to his ranks.

The 27-year-old spent time on loan at Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt in recent seasons and is set to see a transfer to La Liga side Girona confirmed. He is to join the Spanish side on a deal worth a reported £420,000, that could rise to £12.7m.

Portugal star Fernandes joined in the January before Van de Beek's arrival, and delivered a generous message to his former teammate. "You deserve the best," he posted with the addition of a red heart.

It appears to have been an emotional moment for Van de Beek, who despite a frustrating time on the pitch, experienced a positive time away from it. Posting on Instagram, the Dutchman wrote: "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.

"From the moment we arrived at Manchester United, we felt extremely welcome and we are grateful for that. 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."

Fernandes was not the only player to respond to Van de Beek's farewell, with breakout Manchester United and England star Kobbie Mainoo showing his feelings. The 19-year-old posted a simple heat emoji, as did former Everton and Ajax midfielder Davvy Klaassen. Ex-Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who was in the Ajax academy as the same time as Van de Beek, enthusiastically posted multiple hearts in reponse to the goodbye message.