Declan Rice and Jesse Lingard lead tributes from great and good to departing West Ham star Aaron Cresswell

Aaron Cresswell has said an emotional goodbye to West Ham ahead of his final home game and some of his past and present teammates have been paying tribute to him.

When you stay at a club like West Ham for 11 years you will have had plenty of teammates.

There has been a major turnover of players in that time.

And that will continue this summer with the Hammers looking to rebuild the squad for Graham Potter.

Except this time Aaron Cresswell, who has watched well over 100 players come and go since he joined in 2014, is one of those being sent on his way.

Cresswell emotional ahead of West Ham exit

Cresswell wanted to stay at West Ham for at least one more year.

Indeed many feel the Liverpudlian deserved – and had proved himself worthy – of a new contract.

There is no denying Cresswell has been West Ham’s best central defender of late under Potter.

That, and the fact he is a leader in the dressing room, has made the decision to let him go all the more surprising for some.

Potter has not offered up any particular reason as to why he is letting Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal and Lukasz Fabianski go.

That’s most likely because it needs no explanation.

West Ham’s aim is to rebuild the team around younger, more dynamic and exciting players for a new era.

Cresswell was in tears as he delivered his farewell video message to Hammers fans.

Karren Brady responded to Cresswell’s video and was pounced on by West Ham supporters for not giving the 35-year-old a testimonial.

Rice and Lingard lead tributes from great and good to Cresswell

All good things come to an end.

And Cresswell and West Ham have certainly been on to a good thing together.