Manchester United winger Sam Mather has bid farewell to the club after a 14-year stint, sharing his heartfelt departure on social media. The 21-year-old received an outpouring of support from his teammates following the announcement.
Mather is poised to join Turkish outfit Kayserispor for an undisclosed fee. The move comes just months after a summer transfer to the same club fell through at the last minute. Despite not making a first-team appearance for United, Mather had loan spells with Rochdale and Tranmere Rovers and was part of the FA Youth Cup-winning team in 2022.
In an Instagram post filled with nostalgic photos of his time at the club, Mather expressed his gratitude.
He wrote: “After 14 years my time at @manutd has come to an end, I would like to thank all the staff and players who have helped me become the person and player I am today.
“I will always be grateful for my time here and wish the club all the best. On a personal note it’s time for me to move forward and I can’t wait to get started.”
Despite having another 18 months left on his contract, the young winger is eager to take on a professional challenge and has thus chosen to leave his childhood club for a new adventure.
After failing to secure a summer move, Mather has been participating in first-team training sessions at Carrington this season. The young player has made six appearances in academy matches to keep up his match fitness.
Shea Lacey, the latest academy graduate to make his debut for the first team, was among those who wished the winger well.
The 18-year-old commented: “Good luck my brother all the best.”
Chido Obi-Martin, Toby Collyer, Harry Amass and former academy graduate Shola Shoretire were also among those who left comments.
Ahead of the January transfer window, Mather attracted interest from Turkey, Germany and Greece, while other sources suggest there were also potential suitors from the MLS.
As part of his move to Turkey, a fee and buy-back clause have been agreed upon and included in the deal.
Kayserispor currently sit 16th in the Turkish Super Lig table, in the relegation zone on goal difference. One of Mather’s first matches could be against Turkish heavyweights Besiktas on January 19.
Mather will be one of the few foreign players in the squad but won’t be the only Englishman in the region.
Former Chelsea ace Tammy Abraham is the main striker for Besiktas, while Dan Agyei and Archie Brown play for Kocaelispor and Fenerbahce respectively.