Manchester United could receive a minimum of £30 million should Mason Greenwood complete a stunning transfer this summer.
There’s currently frustration around Manchester United’s fan base due to the lack of signings that have been completed so far this window. The only new additions to the squad have been Matheus Cunha from Wolves and Diego Leon from Cerro Porteño, with the latter deal having been agreed in January.
Throughout last season, Ruben Amorim spoke candidly about the need to bring in new players, particularly ones who can play his system.
The lack of arrivals so far is due to a combination of factors, including the club’s failure to qualify for European competitions, the limited amount that can be spent due to PSR, and an inability to sell unwanted players.
For several weeks, United have been close to signing Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, with the stalling point of the deal being the structure of payments, as Brentford wants a higher figure upfront.
However, there has been a boost to United’s Mbeumo transfer hopes, as the sell-on clause for one of their former players could be activated, potentially allowing United to meet Brentford’s demands.
Al-Ahil move for Greenwood
Spanish outlet Fijaches reports that Al-Ahil have offered Marseille £60 million for former United academy graduate, Mason Greenwood. Marseille spent £26.6 million on the 23-year-old last summer, and United secured a 50% sell-on clause in the deal.
Fijachs’ Raúl Cabrera Jiménez has stated that the sell-on clause implemented by United may be a sticking point in the deal: “This complicates negotiations, as Marseille would receive only half of the amount offered, which could influence their final decision.”
Based on Al-Ahli’s current bid, Marseille would make a profit of £3.4 million once United’s share has been taken, which the French side may find underwhelming considering the season that Greenwood has had. Marseille could rebuke the Saudi offer in the hopes of an improved bid.
Greenwood was the joint top scorer in Ligue 1 last season, which could entice Al-Ahil to improve their bid. This situation would be preferable to United, and the club will no doubt be following developments closely, as the higher the fee Marseille receives for Greenwood, the more the club will receive from the sell-on clause.
United’s improvements on transfers
Whilst fans may be disappointed in the quantity of transfers that have taken place since footballing operations were taken over by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, the Greenwood transfer is an indication that the quality of transfers the club makes has improved.
United’s current PSR restrictions are largely the result of the club’s poor deals in the transfer market in the past. In April 2023, The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell reported that the club had only made a profit on four transfers since Sir Alex Ferguson, indicating that outgoings were a clear weakness at the club.
The improvement in the quality of outgoing transfers is evident in the sell-on clauses of Greenwood (sold after the takeover) and Anthony Elanga (sold before the takeover). Both players are looking likely to move this transfer window, and both have sell-on clauses that will yield a return for United.
However, United secured a 50% sell-on clause for Greenwood, despite his personal off-the-pitch controversies, but only managed an 8% to 15% profit sell-on clause for Anthony Elanga, who had no such controversies and was widely well-regarded.
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Both players feature in a similar position and are a similar age; yet, the Elanga deal was for a lower percentage and only applicable to profit, rather than revenue, which again reduces the amount United makes on the sell-on clause. This improvement in the structure of the deal indicates that United has become a stronger negotiator post-takeover.
As the club struggles to fund transfers, every penny counts. While the lack of outgoings may be frustrating for fans, they can take some solace in knowing that the quality of incoming transfers has improved.
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