French left back Patrice Evra is leaving Manchester United after eight-and-a-half seasons to join Serie A champions Juventus, the Italian club said yesterday.

Juve confirmed that they had agreed a £1.2 million fee for the 33-year-old, who signed a two-year contract.

Juventus will pay a further £300,000 to United if they qualify for the 2015-16 Champions League.

The move means the chance of Champions League football this season for Evra, who would have missed out on Europe’s top club competition had he stayed at Old Trafford after their seventh-place finish in the Premier League.

“After a great deal of thought I have decided the time is right for me to leave Manchester United,” Evra said.

“It is the biggest decision of my career as this club is, and will always remain, in my heart.

“This club is steeped in history and I feel privileged to have become a part of that ... An immense thank you to Sir Alex Ferguson for making it all possible, for giving me the privilege to be a captain, to be inspired by the legend of Manchester United and to understand that nobody is bigger than the club.”

Born in Senegal and raised in France, Evra began his professional career in Italy when he signed for Serie C side Massara as a 17-year-old in 1998.

He moved to Monza in Serie B the following season, returned to France to play for Nice and then Monaco before joining Manchester United in January 2006.

Five league titles

He went on to win five English Premier league titles at Old Trafford, plus the Champions League and Club World Cup in 2008.

Italian clubs are making a habit of signing ageing players from the English Premier League.

Milan signed Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, 31, during the January transfer window and Evra’s former Manchester United team-mate Nemanja Vidic has also moved to Serie A, joining Inter.

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