The end of a season brings with it the hope of new beginnings, but for many, it also means a farewell. Manchester United confirmed 11 players would not be part of their plans next season when their retained list was published on Friday afternoon, as Erik ten Hag gets to work on their summer rebuilding task.
The headline names on that list were the star players who have already achieved so much in the game. Paul Pogba and Juan Mata are both World Cup winners and will look back on successful careers no matter what their next step might be.
At the other end of the spectrum is a host of youngsters whose United journeys have come to an end, but leaving Old Trafford is by no means the end of their hopes in the professional game.
RETAINED LIST: United announce 11 players are being released
No team in English football has produced more players currently plying their trade in the Football League system than United, and although those players released this summer might not go on to play for the club, any eventual success they do have will be valued just as much by the coaches who have nurtured their talents.
It is testament to United's academy system that Connor Stanley already has his next step lined up, with the 20-year-old winger set to join a North West side in the Football League.
D'Mani Mellor and Reece Devine don't currently have their next moves sorted, though both are attracting interest from EFL sides themselves.
United are keen to ensure they are not stockpiling players for the sake of it but still demonstrate ethically healthy practice in comparison to the amount being released at academy level by other clubs.
The harsh reality is that some players have simply come to the end of their journey at Old Trafford and need to pursue careers elsewhere in order to let the latest crop of youngsters come through in their place.
United are committed to supporting any player who is released from the club if necessary, something which has been demonstrated already with the support they have shown to young goalkeeper Paul Woolston when he was forced to retire aged just 23 in March.
United gave Woolston a one-year contract extension to ensure that he would be with the club throughout the whole of his rehabilitation process and have supported him with his coaching badges.
They also provided a tailored career programme to ensure a smooth transition out of playing professional football, which included regular mentoring sessions with staff and first-team players, work experience within the club and externally, and informal education that covered financial planning, property development, mental health and languages.
Leaving United might be the end of one chapter, but it is just the beginning of another.
