For a while, no Swan moved as gracefully as Michu. Following the departure of Gylfi Sigurdsson (something the club is actively trying to avoid this summer) in 2012, the club paid a modest £2million to acquire the services of the relatively-unknown forward.
Although expectations were modest, Michu scored twice on his debut in a thumping 5-0 win over Queens Park Rangers and the rest, as they say, was history. Unfortunately, now so is Michu. Yes, the floppy haired Spaniard who once captured the hearts and minds of the Liberty Stadium faithful, has been forced to retire at the age of 31.
Michu confirmed Thursday that a persistent ankle injury has forced him to hang up his boots.
In a heartfelt statement, he said: “According to medical reports, the current situation of my right ankle has come to a point where it has forced me to say goodbye as a professional football player today," Michu said in a statement on his Twitter account.
"Even though I am saying farewell to you with so much sorrow, I know that we will always be united. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the magical moments that you have given to me during all this time.
"I feel privileged to have fulfilled a dream that is shared by so many of us since childhood. The dream of becoming a professional player in this sport.
"Because of you, the public have given me an invaluable affection that I will never be able to repay. Indeed, I feel I have done nothing to deserve it all."
While Michu was unable to make much of an impact at Real Oviedo, Swansea fans will forever remember him as the clinical finisher who sunk Arsenal at the Emirates, who scored both home and away against Manchester United and ended the 2012/13 season with 22 goals, making him one of the finest bargains of the Premier League era.
Of course, he also played a pivotal role in catapulting Michael Laudrup’s side to the club’s first major honour – the Capital One Cup, with Michu scoring in the 5-0 final win over Bradford City. However, injury curtailed his progress and he featured sparingly in the second season, before a fruitless loan spell at Napoli.
In the classy statement, Michu added: “Before I conclude, I would like to tell you that I consider myself an honest guy, thanks to the education I received from my family and that I have always tried to do my very best for every club that you have lead me to. I wholeheartedly apologise if, at any point, my acts may have upset any of your supporters, who love you madly as I do.”
That’s how to sign off, folks.
Sad for Michu he was a true Jack
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