Manchester United full back Patrice Evra has secured a move to Italian giants Juventus, with United and Juventus both confirming the deal.
Evra, 33, spent 8 years at Old Trafford, and signed a contract extension severals weeks ago, but with the ushering in of new manager Louis Van Gaal, the French international has departed the club for a new beginning.
With the signing of talented young left back Luke Shaw from Southampton for a reported £30m, Evra could well have found himself forced out of the starting line up at United. Van Gaal is expected to make wholesale personnel changes to the flaccid and dull looking United squad of last season, and this includes the departure of the French full back.
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have already departed the club this summer, and many others, such as Anderson and Javier Hernandez already appear to have one foot out of the door.
Asked about departures at the club, officials have told MUTV, the clubs official tv network: “Yes, I think so.
“The manager makes that decision and a few players have already gone and there may well be a few others that go.
“It’s also worth commenting that we’re not in Europe this year (so) there’s less games, maybe the manager takes the view that he wants a tighter squad to bed in.”
Evra leaves Manchester with a host of honors, including 5 Premier League titles and a Champions League victory in 2008. He also made the PFA Premier League team of the year three times during his stay at Old Trafford, in the 2006/07, 08/09 and 09/10 seasons.
In the wake of Evra’s departure, Manchester United have been linked with flexible young Dutch talent Daley Blind, who was a part of Van Gaal’s World Cup squad that made the semi finals in Brazil.
Blind, 24, finally looked as if he was going to fulfil his potential at Ajax last season and capped this off with a fine World Cup performance.
Editor’s note: You can follow Jord Willis on Twitter @JMWillis01.
