Manchester United have announced the departure of 21-year-old right-back Ethan Laird.
Ethan Laird has left Manchester United, with the club abruptly announcing his departure last night.
Laird has signed for Championship side Birmingham City on a three-year deal, the club confirmed.
He is the second young player to be sold this summer, following Zidane Iqbal’s sale to FC Utrecht.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers in, out, loans, releases, youth for 2023/24
Ethan Laird exit
Ethan Laird is happy he has left Manchester United as it allows him to move forward with his career.
He told Birmingham’s website he feels he has made the right decision.
Laird said: “It feels great. I feel like this is important to me now, this is the time where I get to showcase myself and not really think about anything else.
“It is a new step, a new pathway now and I am excited to get started.”
Laird appeared twice for Manchester United in 2019 against Astana and AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League, but then saw his progress halted.
Injuries played their part in this, as did the Covid break, before he went on four different loan spells with mixed success.
Laird had successful stints on loan at MK Dons and Swansea City, then he went to Bournemouth where he won promotion but didn’t really play.
Last season he impressed early at QPR, but struggled after a change of manager.
There was a sense in the second half of last season too, that Laird had lost a bit of direction, and ongoing loan spells can do that to a player.
He hadn’t taken the necessary step to leap forward into the first team picture at Manchester United. Erik ten Hag took a look at him in pre-season last year, and loaned him out.
At Birmingham he joins his former United teammate Tahith Chong, while Teden Mengi and Hannibal have both had spells at the Blues on loan in recent seasons.
Laird’s goodbye
Writing on Instagram, Laird said: “It’s time to say goodbye @manchesterunited been at United since I was 10 coming through the ranks at this great club has been a huge privilege for me.
“It’s always been my dream to play for United so making my first team debut in 2019 in the Europa League was a dream come true.
“I want to thank everyone at the club for giving me the opportunity, especially my coaches and my teammates during the last 11 years.
“It’s time for me to take the next step in my football journey. When one door closes another one opens. And I pray that God continues to guide me with every decision I make for it’s for his glory not mine. I hope that our paths will cross again in the future if it is God’s will! “
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