Quote:Henrikh Mkhitaryan has thanked everyone at Manchester United for their support during his one-and-a-half year stay at the club.

The Armenia international joined another Premier League club, Arsenal, on Monday evening as Alexis Sanchez moved in the opposite direction to Old Trafford.

After his switch to the Gunners was confirmed, Mkhitaryan released a statement on his official Instagram account which read: "I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Manchester United players and staff, and especially the fans for your love, passion and support. I enjoyed having the honour of contributing to the history of your great club by winning the Europa League.

"I will always cherish the memory of that moment and that match. And of my Boxing Day scorpion kick and of hearing the song “Whoa Mkhitaryan...” every time I stepped onto the pitch. I could name many more memories, I enjoyed every moment we shared and cheered together.

"At this stage of my career, I simply have to enjoy myself on the pitch and play. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and the best of luck to all of you! Life goes on."

A CLASSY GESTURE

Mkhitaryan also revealed on Twitter that he will donate a United shirt signed by all of the players to help children affected by cancer in his native Armenia, as a special thank you to everyone who contributed to his documentary 'Micki: An Armenian Hero', which aired on MUTV in November.

REDS PAY TRIBUTE TO MICKI

After news of Mkhitaryan's move was announced, many United players used social media to wish their friend well at the Emirates Stadium.

Juan Mata tweeted: "All the best and enjoy my friend."

Ashley Young tweeted a picture of him with Micki, along with the message: "All the best, my friend."

Zlatan posted on his Instagram story: "Luck you don't need, just enjoy your game."

On his own Instagram story, Jesse Lingard said: "All the best brother."

Ander Herrera simply summed up Micki in one word: "Gentleman."

Romelu Lukaku said on Instagram: "My bro, good luck. I will miss you."

GOOD LUCK AT ARSENAL

Mkhitaryan joined the Reds from Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund in July 2016, making his competitive debut as a substitute in United’s 2-1 victory over Leicester City in the Community Shield at Wembley.

It was the first of three trophies that the 29-year-old helped the club to win in his first and only full season, with the League Cup and UEFA Europa League to follow.

The midfielder went on to make 63 Reds appearances in all competitions, scoring 13 goals. His last outing came in the Emirates FA Cup third-round win over Derby County at Old Trafford on 5 January.

Jose Mourinho praised Mkhitaryan for his contribution to the team, saying: “I would like to wish Henrikh all the success and happiness that I am sure he is going to get. He is a player that we will not forget, especially for his contribution to our Europa League victory.”

Everyone at the club echoes the manager's sentiments and wishes Henrikh all the best for the future.