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Manchester United finally look close to sealing their first signing of the summer in Mason Mount, but the outgoings in the senior squad remain difficult to achieve.
In the same vein, the Portuguese newspaper Record reports that Alex Telles “will not go” to SL Benfica in response to news from Brazil which suggested the Brazilian fullback was an option for them.
Telles fell down the pecking order at Manchester United after the arrival of Tyrell Malacia last year and Luke Shaw finding another level to his game.
Consequently, he was sent on loan to Sevilla last season.
He was a part of the team that won the final of the Europa League but overall, it wasn’t a successful loan. He played only 42% of available minutes in La Liga as Marcos Acuna remained the undisputed first choice.
Furthermore, he managed to register just three assists and no goals in 38 games across all competitions, a far cry from his numbers when he was almost the creator-in-chief for FC Porto, before moving to Old Trafford. This brings the matter to Benfica’s interest.
Telles has a long and successful history with Porto, where he played for five years and established himself as one of Europe’s premier attacking full-backs.
Therefore, it was only natural that rivals Benfica would want to distance themselves from reports of their interest in him.
However, the prospect of Telles leaving United still remains likely, even though it might not be to Benfica.
Manager Erik ten Hag needs to supplement his transfer budget with outgoings and after splashing £55 million initially on Mason Mount, outgoings could begin.
Telles, despite his wages of £100k/week, remains a sellable asset, although United might have to take a loss or cover a part of his wages. A return to Porto has been mooted.
When it happens, it will close the chapter on another failed transfer by United. It will be yet another loss-making sale for a club that needs to master the art of selling with much more urgency than the skill of buying sensibly.
