Williams to depart United at end of contract
Brandon Williams is to leave Manchester United at the end of the contract, with best wishes from everybody at the club.
The full-back, who has been with the Reds since the age of nine, succeeded in rising through the ranks.
He made 51 outings for our first team, scoring in the Premier League game at Sheffield United in 2019.
The 23-year-old spent time on loan last season at Ipswich Town, who gained promotion to the top flight under Kieran McKenna. Williams netted twice in 17 appearances.
In a previous interview with United Review, our official matchday programme, Brandon expressed his pride at making his senior debut in a League Cup tie against Rochdale.
"It was something only you can experience, to really feel how it was," he admitted.
"I can’t really explain it but it was such a proud moment for me, something I’d worked on my whole life. Coming on at half-time as well, I didn’t think I’d be on that soon but I think Phil Jones got an injury.
"So I was one of the only defenders on the bench and the manager [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer] decided to tell me to warm up just before half-time. I was warming up and starting to get these nerves, just butterflies, but excitement as well.
"I was really confident in myself to go on the pitch and just be me, what has got me to get onto the bench in the first place. As well, the players were talking to me before the game and just letting me know there was no pressure on, you just need to go out there and show what you are capable of."
The defender also spoke about what it meant to him to be part of the club he supported - he was a season-ticket holder when we last won the Premier League, in 2013.
"I think, growing up around here and in the Academy, you learn the DNA of Manchester United and learn the way some of the great players have played," he said. "It gets passed down from generation to generation. We can feed that back to the players who do come in and they learn it quickly, to be honest.
"Like I have said, though, to have other people from Manchester, playing for Manchester United, is really good for me and the whole community.”
Brandon will always be welcome back at the club, through our Academy's successful Alumni programme, and we would like to wish him the very best of luck for the future.