Harry Maguire was among the Manchester United players to bid Phil Jones farewell following his Old Trafford exit.
An announcement on Friday confirmed the 31-year-old will leave the club when his contract expires next month. Jones - who has not featured for the Reds this season - was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2011.
During his 12-year stay, the defender played alongside some of the club’s all-time greats and helped United win their last league title a decade ago. Injuries plagued Jones’ latter years at United and, given the current pecking order, a departure seemed inevitable this summer.
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The former England international penned an emotional goodbye letter to supporters on Instagram. A snippet from his farewell post read: “My time at United has been nothing short of incredible. When I decided to leave Blackburn, I always wanted to prove myself further.
“I’d represented my boyhood club, and lived a dream, but I was desperate to show everyone what I could do at the highest level. To wear this shirt just once, to wear this badge and represent everyone associated with it, was an honour.
“I wish I could have played more. I wish I could have given more to the many squads I played alongside. I will say, from the bottom of my heart, I did everything I could. I did everything the medical team asked of me.
“I wish Erik (ten Hag) and his staff, all the players, the best of luck for the future. He’s building something here and I’ll be watching, supporting and hoping, more than anyone, that he can continue the progress we can all see already.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me at Manchester United, where I’ve made friends for life.”
Several teammates - both past and present - paid tribute to the defender. Current captain Maguire posted three heart emojis once news broke of his exit.
Scott McTominay referred to Jones as a “legend”, while ex-teammate Jesse Lingard also sent his best wishes. John O’Shea, who left United one month after Jones’ arrival, wrote: “Good luck Phil.”
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