Winston Reid and West Ham United have confirmed that All Whites skipper Winston Reid is to leave the English Premier League club after 11 years to “pursue first-team football elsewhere’’.
The London club released a statement on social media saying it had “reached an agreement’’ with Reid, who was contracted until 2023 on a deal reportedly worth £70,000 ($135,000) a week.
The 33-year-old – one of New Zealand’s highest-paid sports stars – joined the Hammers in 2010 after starring in the All Whites’ World Cup finals campaign in South Africa.
West Ham said Reid would seek first-team opportunities elsewhere and hailed him as “an incredible servant to the club over the years and a part of some of our most iconic moments’’.
“Thanks for everything, Winston. We wish you the best of luck.’’
Reid confirmed his departure on Instagram, posting a photograph of him in one of his first games as a Hammer.
He said: “Thankyou to everyone for the last 11 or so years, have loved playing in front of the fans and with teammates. Its been a long journey that ends now but thank you!!!. Reidy.’’
Reid expanded on his move in an interview with West Ham TV and said “the club’s been great to me’’.
“I have a lot of respect for the club, and we’ve found an agreement that’s good for everyone involved,” Reid said. “I came here in 2010 and have just enjoyed so much of playing for the club. It’s been a special time.
“I’ve always felt that the fans have supported me, and I’ve always tried to give my best for them. At the end of the day, when you’re a footballer, that’s what you enjoy the most, going out there and playing in front of a lot of fans.
“Over the years, that’s also what I’ve enjoyed the most: playing for your fans, for your teammates, for your coaches and for your family.
“I just want to say ‘thank you’ and I wish you all the best for the future.”
Reid has not played an English Premier League game since March 2018 when he suffered a serious knee injury against Swansea City.
News broke in early September that Reid and the clubs were in talks about an early release.
It is likely that the club and Reid have come to an agreement about a payout.
Before his injury woes, Reid was a West Ham regular and their stand-in captain.
Reid, who has played 223 games for West Ham, has had two recent loan spells, at Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas and at London club Brentford, who he helped earn promotion to the Premier League.
He captained the OlyWhites at the Tokyo Olympic Games, missing one of their four games with a knee strain, which he is still recovering from.
Reid sought a loan move in the early-season English transfer window but it did not eventuate.
The transfer window is now closed in Britain and in Europe’s major leagues until January, but there could be openings in Portugal, Russia or Turkey.
Reid was a fan favourite at West Ham since signing from Danish premier league club FC Midtjylland.
He became legendary for scoring the final goal in a 3-2 victory over Manchester United in the last game at the Hammers’ Upton Park stadium in 2016.
He told West Ham TV: “Obviously it was a special occasion for everyone, with the last game, and it’s something I will always remember.’’
Another special memory was winning West Ham’s 2012 Premier League promotion final at Wembley.
“Over the years, I’ve played with a few characters,’’ Reid said, citing West Ham captain Mark Noble, defenders Aaron Cresswell, Angelo Ogbonna and “Big Ginge’’ (James Collins) and ex-England striker Andy Carroll.
He also paid tribute to the club’s staff who had helped him through his long rehabilitation over the past three years.’’
“When you are out for a long time you have to go through stuff, a lot of that you go through by yourself, but [I want to thank] especially the people that I worked with during my rehab.’’
Reid said being injured for a long period was “tough, but it’s part of the job and you learn to get through it’’.
He said West Ham – who are eighth in the EPL standings under manager David Moyes – were in good shape and he thought their future looked bright.
Reid’s 166 EPL appearances for West Ham are the second-most by a New Zealander after Ryan Nelsen’s 198 games for Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur and Queen’s Park Rangers.
New Zealand has had a continuous presence in the Premier League since 2005 when Nelsen joined Blackburn.
That lineage continues through Burnley striker Chris Wood, who has scored 48 goals in 142 EPL games for West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City and Burnley.
