United confirm three departures
Manchester United have confirmed that Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Christian Eriksen will leave the club at the end of the season.
The departure of the experienced trio was confirmed following United's final game of the season on Sunday, as wee beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Old Trafford, with Eriksen scoring the second goal from the penalty spot.
Lindelof, who made the most appearances for the club out of the three, has represented United 284 times, since his arrival from Benfica in the summer of 2017, and won Emirates FA Cup and League Cup winners' medals during his time here, lifting both trophies in the preceding two campaigns.
The Sweden captain came off the bench in that FA Cup final success against Manchester City, this time last year, and also netted four goals as a Red - all of which came at Old Trafford, the last a winning strike against Luton Town last season.
Our no.2 started for the final time on Sunday as he bids farewell to the Theatre of Dreams, having spent eight seasons in Manchester.
Evans has served United with distinction for more than a decade as a senior player, across two spells at the club.
Graduating from the club's Academy to make his first-team debut against Coventry City in the autumn of 2007, following a loan spell at Royal Antwerp, Evans became a regular member of our backline in the following seven seasons in the senior set-up.
He notably forged a title-winning partnership with Rio Ferdinand en route to our most recent Premier League title success, at the heart of our defence in the 2012/13 campaign, and also scored four goals from defence that season. He'd only spend one more campaign at Old Trafford, before making an emotional return to the club in the summer of 2023.
He netted eight goals in total over two spells at Old Trafford, the most recent of which came away to Tottenham Hotspur, in the Carabao Cup, last December, his last outing before coming on for Ayden Heaven on Sunday and rolling back the years with some meaty challenges. In the dying seconds, he was only denied a headed goal by Olsen's brilliant save.
Another captain for his country on the international stage, with Northern Ireland, Evans amassed 241 appearances in United red, winning three Premier League titles, one Champions League, one Club World Cup and one League Cup during his first spell with the club, before coming off the bench in last year's FA Cup final to add to his medal collection during his most recent stint.
While Eriksen's spell at Old Trafford has lasted only three years by comparison, the Dane's impact has been strongly felt in M16 during that time.
Making 107 appearances for the club in the last three seasons, Eriksen brought a touch of class in midfield. He scored eight times, featuring four in the opening months of the current campaign, including two in Europa League group phase matches against FC Twente and Fenerbahce.
Eriksen was a regular during his first term at Old Trafford, earning a League Cup winners' medal that season despite cruelly missing the final through injury, and added an FA Cup to his collection the following campaign.
Bruno Fernandes allowed him to take the spot-kick against Villa, which produced a special moment when his team-mates celebrated his successful effort past substitute keeper Robin Olsen.
Everybody at United thanks Victor, Jonny and Christian for their contributions during their time at Old Trafford, and wishes them the best of luck for the future.
Each of them received a great ovation from the appreciative crowd on Sunday.