Former Victory star Honda leaves Dutch club after 46 days

Ex-Melbourne Victory and Japan star Keisuke Honda has parted ways with Vitesse, just over six weeks after joining the Dutch club.

Keisuke Honda during his A-League stint Source: Getty Images

The 33-year-old played four games for Vitesse - after signing on November 7 - with his deal set to expire at the end of the Dutch season.

In a Twitter video, Honda indicated his departure was prompted by the sacking of manager Leonid Slutsky, who was his former mentor at CSKA Moscow.

"I decided to leave the club because my mission was, when I came here, I wanted to change the situation. That was the mission, and I couldn't change the situation and Slutsky left the club," Honda said.

"I'm feeling the responsibility for that, so I shouldn't stay here after the winter."

Honda had previously been without a club since leaving Victory in May, after previously playing for a host of sides including AC Milan, CSKA, Nagoya Grampus, VVV-Venlo and Pachuca.

He retired from the Japanese national team in 2018 after his third FIFA World Cup.