RUTHLESS NEW MAN UTD TRANSFER STRATEGY PAYS OFF, WITH THREE COMPLETED DEALS SHINING EXAMPLES

Manchester United have adopted a more ruthless approach to transfers that has already borne fruit in three deals completed in the January window.

The Red Devils aren’t known for being masters of the market in the post-Ferguson era. Vast sums of cash have been splashed on big-money signings that for one reason or another, haven’t worked out.

Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS cohorts took charge, Man Utd have altered the profile of player they’re signing.

All six of the club’s major permanent signings in the Ratcliffe era – Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee – were aged 26 or under at the time of their arrivals.

And according to a fresh update from Mail Plus, United have also adopted a different stance to player exits.

It’s claimed Man Utd are no longer content to accept sub-par offers – even if they’re desperate to offload the players they relate to.

The latest example of United’s new approach came over the past few days when Man Utd rejected what they deemed a ‘low-ball offer’ for Tyrell Malacia from Benfica.

United risked failing to find a new home for Malacia when sending Benfica packing, but were quickly rewarded when PSV Eindhoven swooped in with much more favourable terms.

The full details in Malacis’a switch – which are ultra-favourable for Man Utd – can be found here.

Rashford, Antony further examples of Man Utd approach

Further evidence of Man Utd driving a much harder bargain comes in the terms that took Rashford to Aston Villa and Antony to Real Betis.

Rashford joined Villa on a six-month loan that contains a sizeable £40m buy option. But the devil is in the details, with Man Utd securing a jaw-dropping salary split.

Rashford pockets £325,000-a-week at Old Trafford and Villa have agreed to absorb 75 percent of that sum. What’s more, there is scope for the portion Villa are paying to rise to 90 percent pending performance-related objectives.

75 percent of £325,000 is £243,750 – a figure that by far makes Rashford Villa’s highest paid player.

If the salary coverage hits the top figure of 90 percent, Villa will be paying Rashford a weekly wage of £292,500, leaving United on the hook for just £32,500 every seven days.

Securing such a favourable salary split is a masterstroke for United and it wasn’t the first time in the winter window the club’s recruitment team pulled off a miracle.

Man Utd convinced Real Betis to pay a mammoth 84 percent of Antony’s £200,000-a-week wages during his six-month loan spell.

With Real Betis absorbing £168,000 of that sum, United are only paying Antony £32,000-a-week for the remainder of the season.

Of course, the downside with Man Utd not settling sooner in negotiations is they may wind up with unwanted players sticking around longer than they hope.

The rapidly declining and highly paid Casemiro – who was up for sale in January – stayed put, for example.

Latest Man Utd news – Big-name trio still for sale

In other news, The Guardian claim Man Utd’s summer transfer budget will remain small unless they sanction major sales.

Accordingly, homegrown pair, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, will remain available for sale, just as they were in January.

United valued Mainoo at ‘£80m-plus’ and Garnacho at £70m. Marcus Rashford too has the green light to leave, with the £40m option to buy in his Villa deal signifying United’s valuation.

POLL: What is Kobbie Mainoo’s true worth?

2025-02-05T11:27:45Z