Motherwell have announced that they have sold star striker Kevin van Veen to Dutch side FC Groningen for an undisclosed fee.
And the 32-year-old has admitted it has been 'emotional' and a 'privilige' to wear the claret and amber.
The Dutchman has been reportedly sold for a fee in the region of £500,000 and Motherwell admitted they reluctantly accepted an offer for their player to ensure they remain 'financially stable in the medium to long-term'.
He has signed a deal with Eerste Divisie side until 2026.
Van veen hit 29 goals in all competitions last season and also scored in 11 consecutive games to break a 103-year-old club record.
In a statement announcing his departure, Van veen told the Motherwell website: “Leaving Motherwell has been a really difficult decision.
“From the day I arrived, I felt loved and I felt at home.
“It has been emotional and a privilege to feel the support from all the fans since day one. From having my own song, to the banners, this has been a special time of my life and I’ll never forget it.
“Breaking the records is one of my biggest accomplishments to date but more importantly, I hope in doing so, repaid the fans for their support.
“I’ll be following Motherwell from now on, every week, and I’ll look back fondly on my time here.
“Thanks for the memories and I’ll miss you all. I am in love….”
Van Veen joined in the summer 2021 from Scunthorpe on a free transfer and went on to score 40 goals in 83 games.
Motherwell's statement read: "Following an initial approach we received some weeks ago and after a number of discussions with the player and his representatives, at a Board meeting last week, the Club reluctantly agreed to sell Kevin van Veen to Dutch side Groningen.
"Our strong preference was to retain Van Veen but it became clear that the club was not in a financial position to make a new contract proposal to Kevin that was competitive with what he was being offered by Groningen or to turn down the significant fee we were able to negotiate for a player with only a year remaining on his current contract.
"The Club has always been clear that revenue from player trading is required to ensure we are financially stable over the medium and long term."
Gutted gaffer Stuart Kettlewell admits he now has a task on his hands to fill van Veen's big shoes.
He said: "Of course, we are disappointed to be losing a player of Kevin’s quality.
“His effort in my time here has been exceptional and I appreciate his hard work.
“I have a great relationship with Kevin and know how much he loved his time here. I sincerely hope he has a successful time with Groningen and wish him all the best.
“Now, we face a difficult task to replace Kevin but we are working very hard behind the scenes to take this club forward.”
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