Manchester United have sold left-back Alexander Buttner to Dinamo Moscow for a fee that could rise to £5.6million.

Buttner made only 15 appearances for United last season, and the £27million signing of Luke Shaw meant the 25-year-old Dutchman was surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.

Journalists understand the Russian club have paid £4.4million up front for the player, but the fee could climb to £5.6million depending on appearance.

United paid just under £4million for Buttner when they signed him from Vitesse Arnhem in August 2012.

The defender scored on his United debut against Wigan and also found the net in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final game in charge, but he was never able to dislodge Patrice Evra as first-choice left-back.

And when Shaw arrived just a few weeks after Evra renewed his contract, it always looked likely that Buttner would leave Old Trafford.

A statement on United’s website read: “Manchester United has finalised the sale of Alex Buttner to Dynamo Moscow for an undisclosed fee.

“Everybody at Old Trafford would like to thank Alex for his service and wish him well for his new career in Russia.”

Buttner becomes the third defender to leave United this summer after Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

New manager Louis van Gaal has brought in Shaw and Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao.

According to Foxsports