Rafael says his goodbyes to Manchester United

Rafael has thanked both Manchester United and their fans on social media ahead of his impending exit from the club.

The defender is set to complete a move from Old Trafford to Lyon and took to Twitter on Monday to say his farewells.

With Matteo Darmian arriving from Torino in the summer, Rafael found himself falling further down the pecking order for the right-back berth in Louis van Gaal's side.

"I want to thank Manchester United fans for all the love during those 8 years," the Brazilian wrote on his personal account.

After thanking the club itself, he added: "I also want to thank all employees who always treated me with great affection and gave me greater attention."

Rafael is a three-time Premier League champion during his time with Manchester United.

However, he was limited to 10 league appearances last season, with four of those coming off the bench.