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Considering how the season has gone, it is clear for all to see that Manchester United need to sign someone in January if they are to salvage their current campaign.
Manager Erik ten Hag would ideally like to bring in a striker but considering FFP issues, the club must first focus on outgoings before they can even think of any incomings.
So far, Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho have departed on loans to Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund respectively, with the club still paying a major share of their wages.
Moving first-team stars has proved difficult for the club, something that was seen last summer as well. Then, the Red Devils had opted to cash in on their academy graduates who were not close to making their breakthroughs at the club.
Academy talents getting sold
It seems that the trend is set to continue with reports linking Hannibal Mejbri and Alvaro Fernandez with permanent exits this window.
The full-back, who is currently on loan at La Liga side Granada, is expected to be recalled while subsequently sold to Portuguese giants Benfica.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano had indicated that it might not be a simple sale and as per reports from Portuguese outlet Record and Graeme Bailey, the Spaniard is likely to join on an initial loan with an option to buy included in the contract.
“Alvaro Fernandez, HITC has been informed, is close to joining Benfica from the Red Devils, cutting short his loan spell at La Liga outfit Granada in the process.
“The Spain under 21 left-back will move to the Primeira Liga powerhouses initially on a temporary basis, albeit with an £8.6 million option-to-buy clause in his contract,” Bailey wrote.
The Portuguese outlet has claimed that the deal includes a mandatory option to make it permanent instead of just an option and it will be interesting to see what really happens.
The player is scheduled to have his medical and join Benfica later on Saturday. The Portuguese side will start paying the fee from next season onwards.
Fernandez had the option of staying at Old Trafford in the summer following injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia but Ten Hag insisted on bringing in Sergio Reguilon instead of trusting in the Spanish U21 international.
Fernandez on his way
The player had revealed in an interview that the Dutchman did not believe he was ready and while supporters will understand the need for results meant the manager could not fully place his trust in the academy graduate, but selling such a highly-rated player seems the wrong thing to do.
The likes of Anthony Elanga and Matej Kovar have already proven the Reds were wrong to part ways this summer and Fernandez could be about to do the same in the years to come.
United are likely to include a significant sell-on clause in the deal and whether they include a buyback option also remains to be seen.
The former Real Madrid academy star had never shied away from claiming that he wanted to make it at United but it seems that might not happen.
