Manchester United completed their first major sale of this transfer window after Donny van de Beek confirmed he was moving to Girona.
The deal, which has a small initial fee plus add-ons as well as a sell-on clause is a good return for United on a player who never really worked out.
The Dutchman penned an emotional goodbye to United in a recent Instagram post where he thanked people at the club for making time special and grateful.
As the news of his exit filtered through, his teammates have responded to his message, with Bruno Fernandes headlining a wave of support with his classy response.
Teammates react to Van de Beek’s departure
Bruno Fernandes and more showered their support on Van de Beek on his Instagram post announcing his exit.
Kobbie Mainoo replied with a heart emoji, a short, succinct, and unassuming reply that sums up the player himself as well. Marcus Rashford echoed a similar sentiment, writing “Enjoy Donny”.
Former United man Timothy Fosu-Mensah also sent his support in the form of four heart emojis but it was Bruno Fernandes’ response that headlined the wave of reactions.
Fernandes said: “You deserve the best”, accompanied by a heart emoji to show his appreciation and an indirect acknowledgment that his time at United wasn’t what anyone wanted.
Fernandes’ captaincy credentials have been put under scrutiny often but the influence and respect he commands from his teammates by leading by example is plain to see.
Van de Beek’s United legacy, and the Fernandes connection
As Fernandes’ response alludes to, Van de Beek’s legacy at United will be a huge case of “What if?”. The player arrived at Old Trafford as a prized asset who made the Ballon d’Or rankings.
He couldn’t get into the team under multiple coaches at United and when given the chance, failed to impose himself on the team.
Perhaps poetically, it was Fernandes’ arrival under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that completely closed the door on any comeback potential for Van de Beek.
The Portuguese made the No 10 position his own since the very first game and never looked back since. Van de Beek, on the other hand, kept looking in from the outside as the team no longer had needed a player in his position.
Add to that his inconsistency in both ability and availability, and the fight for his position against Fernandes was only ever going to have one winner.
That has proven to be the case, with the player leaving the club after five years of performances that would lead a lot of fans to just ponder – “What if?”. Many would agree with Fernandes as the player, despite the hardships, never became a toxic presence in the dressing room.
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