Manchester United’s first summer sale detailed, with FFP boost expected

Manchester United are expected to be busy in the summer transfer market and their first potential sale has been reported on.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team reportedly have almost no players off-limits for exits.

Only Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Højlund and Alejandro Garnacho are considered untouchable for the Reds. Meanwhile, the club will listen to offers for almost everyone else.

However, it could be a player currently away from the club on loan that makes the first exit for this summer window.

Alvaro Fernandez moved to Benfica on loan in the January transfer window after being recalled from his loan deal at La Liga club Granada.

The left-back’s deal with the Portuguese club included an obligation to buy if he started over 50 per cent of games until the end of the season.

Whilst that is now impossible after a difficult start to life at Benfica, Fernandez has recently come into a rich vein of form, and Benfica are expected to trigger the option to buy in the contract instead.

According to ManchesterWorld, the Portuguese club are still expected trigger that buy option clause after being encouraged with the progress Fernandez has made since joining the club.

The report clarified that the price for Benfica to purchase the defender permanently is set at £5.1 million, with an additional £2.6 million in add-ons.

If the deal is complete, United’s contract will include a buyback option and a sell-on clause if Benfica sells the Spaniard to another club.

Fernandez has been a highly-rated talent at Carrington since he joined from Real Madrid in the summer of 2020, alongside the likes of Isak Hansen-Aaoren and Alejandro Garnacho.

His expected £5.1 million sale, however, would be recognised as pure profit on United’s balance books, which would help create important room for United in their finances for the summer window.