Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal confirmed that midfielder Darren Fletcher is set to join West Ham United on a free transfer.
Darren Fletcher has been with the club since the year 2000 when he joined their u18 side from Tynecastle FC back then for a free transfer. The Scot had made just 12 appearances (five starts) in all competitions for Manchester United this season as Van Gaal has preferred the likes of Marouane Fellaini, Daley Blind and Ander Herrera.
Van Gaal confirmed in a press conference today that Fletcher will leave the Red Devils after not getting regular game time, “Fletcher is out of contract at the end of the season and has been granted a free transfer. He is now in West Ham, I believe. We have to wait and see. He is my third captain, an important guy in the dressing room.
“I like him as a human being. But he has not played so much.”
Fletcher’s contract is set to expire in the summer, but despite that, West Ham will get him for a Bosman. The 30-year old had an intestinal virus in late 2011 that ruled him out for the whole of that season. Fletcher then returned in the 2012 season but managed to make just three appearances before encountering the same problem again. An intestinal surgery followed in early 2013 that ruled him out for almost a year.
In his time out, Fletcher missed as many as 66 games for Manchester United. The central midfielder was a key cog for United in the Alex Ferguson days as he formed a good partnership with Micheal Carrick and Paul Scholes in midfield. Prior to his injury, he was a first-team regular and was known for his range of passing and work rate.
Fletcher appeared in 22 games for Manchester United and scored 18 goals in the process.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was sceptical about the deal earlier but will be glad that United have given Fletcher the permission for having a medical. Allardyce had also revealed that his side will not sign a striker to strengthen their position in an already impressive campaign, “I think that with us having Enner Valencia, Diafra Sakho, Carlton Cole and Andy Carroll, I’ve more than enough frontmen to cope with the demands of the rest of this season.
“In the summer, we’ll see what happens but certainly at the moment we’re fine with the four options we’ve got up front now.”