Former Man Utd star joins European giants despite Old Trafford return rumours

Former Manchester United defender Daley Blind has packed his bags for German giants Bayern Munich, leaving his beloved Ajax six months before his contract was up.

Blind joined Ajax's academy at the age of eight and has gone on to make 333 appearances for the Dutch side.

In between his two spells in Amsterdam, Blind played for Manchester United, with many fans hoping the 32-year-old would return to Old Trafford for a fairytale ending.

Blind was originally signed by Louis van Gaal in 2014, and became a favourite under Jose Mourinho, playing 39 games in all competitions during the 2016/17 season. It was a period that saw England international Luke Shaw demoted to the sidelines.

The fairytale return

Following his appearance at the Qatar World Cup, speculation circulated around a return to Manchester, having previously worked with manager ten Hag at Ajax. Fans took to Twitter, calling for the club to re-sign him.

One United fan wrote: "Come to United. Join with our great team and the best manager in the world."

Another suggested: "He'd be a great Lisandro Martinez backup @ManUtd."

Blind explains Bayern move

However, it wasn't to be, with the Dutchman opting to join six-time Champions League winners Bayern Munich.

Upon his arrival, Blind said, via BBC: "I can't wait to play here. We are now facing the most important part of the season, which is about the titles - and a club like Bayern can win any trophy."

Discussing his decision, he explained: "The hunger for titles in the club was decisive for my decision. I hope I can use my experience to help the team and I will give my all for Bayern Munich."

One would expect him to be second-choice to Canadian full-back Alphonso Davies. However his positional versatility makes him very appealing.

And Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic stressed this in a recent interview, via Reuters: "We are very happy that Daley is joining our team. Daley is a flexible defender who can play on the left as well as inside."

"He has extensive international experience and leadership qualities. I'm sure he will help us," he added.