Fabrizio Romano confirms Manchester United are primed for another big boost thanks to improved transfer strategy

Manchester United’s budget will be increased by multiple purchases in the summer transfer window.

Manchester United are expected to benefit from the sale of a former player during the summer transfer window. Alvaro Fernandez Carreras never made a senior game for Manchester United, however he has subsequently appeared 64 times for Portuguese club Benfica.

The 22-year-old is expected to join Real Madrid in the coming weeks, earning a significant sell-on fee for his previous club to improve their summer budget. Carreras’ current contract includes a £42 million release clause, but it is believed Madrid could agree to pay a smaller cost to join him this summer.

On Tuesday afternoon, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano posted on social media that Real Madrid and Benfica are close to signing Álvaro Carreras. Álvaro has been negotiating with Real Madrid since June, and personal terms have already been agreed upon. The agreement can be formally closed following the FIFA Club World Cup. “Almost there.”

Real Madrid might give Manchester United a massive boost.

Benfica paid Manchester United €6 million and committed another €3 million in potential add-ons to recruit Alvaro Fernandez Carreras last summer. It seemed like a paltry fee for a player with such potential, but United secured their interests by negotiating a big sell-on clause and a buy-back option into the contract.

United have until next summer to activate their £16 million buy-back option, but they are still expected to profit from the sell-on clause included in his transaction. It is understood that United will receive 20% of Benfica’s earnings from the transaction, so if Fernandez transferred for €40 million in the summer window, United would earn a part of €34 million rather than the total transfer cost. In such situation, it would be equivalent to €6.8 million, or approximately £5.87 million.

This would be a significant financial boost for United during the summer transfer window, given they are expected to collect a comparable price for Anthony Elanga’s mooted move to Newcastle United. United has never released the contents of the sell-on clause, but it is believed to be worth 15% of any profits made. It means that if Newcastle sign Elanga for the planned £55 million sum, United will be entitled to a share of the £40 million differential when you reduce the cost of signing him from the entire agreement.

‘Smarter transfer approach’ pays off.

It would be a significant help to United’s own transfer plans, proving their’smarter’ youth philosophy, which has seen the club become much more harsh with academy graduates. United personnel have worried that some players are becoming “stale and sour” if they remain at the club for too long without being given an opportunity to play, and that it would be best for all parties if they were released.

When it comes to transfer fees, United still strives to get a fair price for their players wherever possible, but they are also willing to let future sell-on payments or buyback clauses cover the true value of a transaction. Though the early sums may appear to be unimpressive at times, it only takes one large transfer price to provide United with a substantial windfall, like in the instance of Fernandez.

United could earn even more money from their academy if they wanted to, but they want to find the right balance between developing young potential and the ruthless commercial side of sport, which views every player as a market asset. In a summer when Fernandez and Elanga both appear to be on the move, it is a difficult transfer plan to argue against.