da betano casino： Ella Toone and Alessia Russo have shown their appreciation for Lionesses team-mate Katie Zelem after her Manchester United departure was announced.
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Man Utd star Zelem bids farewell to clubCaptained Red Devils to first major honourToone & Russo praise fellow LionessWHAT HAPPENED?
Zelem will leave the club she has captained for the past five years when her contract expires this week, having been part of the Red Devils' women's team since it was re-established in 2018. The England midfielder helped United win promotion to the Women's Super League in that first season and then lifted their first major title, the Women's FA Cup, as skipper at Wembley last month.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Her departure from the club is a huge blow, then, especially given it comes just a day after popular forward Lucia Garcia bid farewell and joined Mexican champions Monterrey. Mary Earps, set to join Paris Saint-Germain, and Nikita Parris are expected to follow her out of the door in the coming days as United prepare for a summer of change.
WHAT ZELEM SAID
In a message on Instagram, Zelem wrote: "WOW, what a journey! From signing in the Championship to captaining my childhood club in the first ever Champions League game. Words don’t do justice for the unimaginable dreams that I have been able to achieve here. From first pulling on the kit at eight years old, I had no idea where this journey would take me. Lifting the FA Cup with Manchester United is and will forever be, one of my favourite moments of my career.
"The players I’ve met over these six years are nothing short of remarkable. When times were tough, it was always the players who stuck together and pulled each other through – that’s what made this team so special. Thank you to everyone who resolutely supported me over the years. Your unwavering support didn’t go unnoticed and for that I’ll be forever grateful. For six years I gave everything possible to Manchester United, both on and off the pitch. For me, now is the right time for a new challenge and I’m looking forward to my next chapter."
DID YOU KNOW?
Toone, her United team-mate, was one of the first to comment, writing: "One of the OGs. Thanks for all the laughs and all the memories Zel, and for all the fight you gave on and off the pitch! We will miss you."
Russo, a fellow Lioness who left the Red Devils last summer, added: "Love you lots! Will always be a Zel fan."
Further messages came in from former United boss Casey Stoney, England icons such as Jill Scott and Fran Kirby, plus plenty of previous and current team-mates like Maya Le Tissier, Gabby George and Ona Batlle, now of Barcelona. Martha Thomas, the Tottenham striker, wrote: "Never got the credit you deserved! Go shine."