Long-serving Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra has completed his move to Serie A champions Juventus, agreeing a two-year deal at the Italian club. Evra, 33, will move for a fee of £1.2million, rising to £1.5million should Juve successfully qualify for the 2015/16 Champions League.
Evra won five Premier League titles in his eight-year stay at Old Trafford, but with his wife allegedly wanting to move away from the region, he saw this as the correct time to leave the club. No official transfer request was submitted but Evra asked that the club not stand in his way should a reasonable offer be forthcoming, despite United taking up an option for a one-year extension to his contract as recently as May. Speaking about his move on United's official website, Evra revealed that, "After a great deal of thought I have decided the time is right for me to leave Manchester United. It is the biggest decision of my career as this club is, and will always remain, in my heart."
Following the departures of Nemanja Vidić and Rio Ferdinand, Evra is the third senior defender to leave United this summer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has reassured fans that "There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes," hinting at some further players to be incoming following the recent signings of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrerra for a total of over £50million. Alexander Büttner's sale to Dynamo Moscow means that United could be in the market for a second left back in the space of two weeks, though Shaw is likely to be trusted with a space in the starting eleven.
As with the recent transfer of Álvaro Morata to Juventus, the deal was expected to be completed some time ago before the departure of charismatic manager Antonio Conte threw the deal into doubt. However, new coach Massimiliano Allegri has given Evra the go-ahead, and the French international will join up with the squad before their pre-season tour of south-east Asia, starting next month.