Marnick Vermijl has completed a switch to Belgian side Thes Sport, along with his brother Laurens.
The right-back returned to Belgium a decade after he left Standard Liège for Manchester United in 2010.
He initially joined the Red Devils’ academy as a teenager, but the 28-year-old failed to cement his place in their first team.
Marnick left the Premier League giants for Sheffield Wednesday in 2015, after he was told by Louis van Gaal, the then United manager, that he would not have opportunities at the English club.
Het Belang van Limburg interviewed Marnick and the fullback discussed his time in Manchester and also the role of Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand in his move to Sheffield Wednesday.
“I learned a lot, and if I hadn’t done it, I would have regretted it a lot. It was the club I had always been a supporter of. The only thing I regret is that I left too early. I thought I had come at an age when I had to play,” he said.
“Louis van Gaal honestly told me he couldn’t offer me that [minutes]. I was about to join Lokeren… But on the way to Belgium I got the message in the car that it was [transfer] cancelled.
“Suddenly I had nothing left. Two days later, Rio Ferdinand helped me [move] to Sheffield Wednesday.”
Manchester United struggled with defensive injuries at the start of the 2015/16 season and Marnick is now of the belief he could have had an opportunity to prove his worth, had he decided to continue at the club.
“But if I had stayed in Manchester, I would have had some playing opportunities in hindsight. They had an injury wave that season, all in my position,” Marnick explained.
The Belgian partly blames luck for his failure to make his mark with the 20-time English champions.
“You should also be lucky. A few years earlier, Sir Alex Ferguson had promised to take me on tour and give me a chance,” the defender added.
“But suddenly he announced his retirement and David Moyes, his successor, took only fifteen players…. But I don’t want to complain, I have completed a nice journey. Only had some bad luck with injuries and with trainers.”
Unfortunately for Marnick Vermijl, he will largely be remembered by the United faithful for starting in the infamous 4-0 defeat to MK Dons in August 2014.
