Former Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has seen his message to Juventus signing Matthijs De Ligt hijacked by his old club following the defender's departure from Ajax.
The 19-year-old captain of the Amsterdam club has been one of the most wanted players in Europe this summer. Standing at six-foot-two and strong in both the air and on the ball, he is tipped to make a major impact at his next club.
A runner-up in the Europa League in 2017, and a member of young and exciting team that reached the last four of the Champions League last season in a campaign that saw them lift the Dutch title and the Dutch Cup, he leaves Ajax as a fan favourite and with the best wishes of the club hierarchy.
Since retiring from his own playing career, ex-Ajax and Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has gone on to become Chief Executive of the Amsterdam giants.
Under Louis van Gaal he won four Eredivisie titles, the Champions League, the UEFA Cup (now the Europa League), three Dutch Cups and reach the final of the Champions League to finish as runner-up.
It was a run of success that caught the eye of Juventus in 1999, only for the Dutchman to leave Italy two years later to join Fulham.
Already into his 30s by the time he reached England, Van der Sar showed his immense quality between the sticks for the Cottagers, and in 2005 was signed by Manchester United after 154 appearances for the west London club.
There he became a Champions League winner again in 2008 while also winning the Premier League on four occasions.
Mindful of their former goalkeeper's own journey after leaving Ajax, Fulham couldn't help themselves when Van der Sar sent on a message to De Ligt on Twitter.
"From white and red to white and black, I know the way!" he wrote, with a winking face. "All the best in Turin, Matthijs! Take good care of him, Juventus."
In reply, the Whites' official account responded: "See you in a Fulham shirt in a few years then, Matthijs?"
Should the defender follow in the footsteps of the goalkeeping great, United may soon find themselves with another worthy European champion to lead them to glory in the near future too.
