Manchester United defender Alvaro Fernandez is poised to join Benfica on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window.
Fernandez is currently on loan at the Portuguese club until the end of the season, but it now seems like his future lies in Lisbon, rather than Manchester. The 21-year-old left-back is yet to make his first-team debut for United and has spent the 2023/24 season on loan with Granada and Benfica.
After making 14 appearances for Granada, he was recalled by United in the January transfer window. But despite injuries limiting Luke Shaw’s minutes this season, and Tyrell Malacia missing the entire campaign so far, Erik ten Hag did not want Fernandez to provide cover at left-back, with the recall instead done in order to send him to Benfica.
The reason behind the switch of loan was that Benfica were willing to commit to an obligation to buy Fernandez for €6million (£5.1m) rising to €9m (£7.6m) if he plays in 50 per cent of their games between now and the end of the season. United have big plans for the summer window but know they must sell players before they can make the sweeping changes to the squad that Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants.
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Fernandez, who joined United on a four-year contract from Real Madrid in 2020, fits the bill as the kind of player that the club can sell. He has made 13 appearances and scored one goal for Benfica since January and Record reports that the club are willing to trigger the clause in his contract to sign him permanently.
GOAL reported in January that Ten Hag personally pushed for Fernandez and Facundo Pellistri to leave on loan. In a break from previous club policy, the Dutchman reportedly believes youngsters should go and endure tough experiences in order to prove themselves worthy of a place in the United first-team squad.
That tallies with what Fernandez himself told The Athletic about his loan move to Girona earlier in the season. “What message did United give me? That I should go out on loan, that Ten Hag didn’t count on me, that I should continue to gain experience, rhythm, and we’ll see what happens in the future,” he said. “But it’s clear that football doesn’t end at any club and that you have to keep working.”
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But while Fernandez now looks set for a permanent exit, Pellistri is planning to return to United this summer from his loan at Granada, at least in the short-term. “I talk constantly with Manchester United,” he told Sport890 after beating Osasuna. “After each game we exchange (messages). I’m not sure what I’m going to do after La Liga ends. What I am clear about is that I’m going to have to do the pre-season with Manchester.”
United pocketed around £35m last summer from the sales of academy players Dean Henderson, Anthony Elanga, Matej Kovar and Zidane Iqbal and are desperate to raise funds again this time around, with the Premier League ’s profit and sustainability rules impacting their plans at present.
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