Manchester United have made a bold transfer decision this week as they look to drum up more funds for Ruben Amorim’s transfer plans
Alejandro Garnacho pictured in one of his last Manchester United appearances(Image: Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The success of Manchester United’s summer transfer window will not solely be judged by the players they bring into the club but the ones they sell and, crucially, the amount received for them.
Marcus Rashford’s exit to Barcelona seemed inevitable and while a loan deal was not ideal, it did manage to get a high earner off the wage bill. Despite Rashford’s departure being a good start, there are still four players remaining at the club who want out.
Antony, Jadon Sancho, Tyrell Malacia and, crucially, Alejandro Garnacho are awaiting a new start that has yet to arrive. The latter’s future is so crucial because of the pure profit value his sale would represent.
Garnacho was bought for a minimal fee and thus, United would bank nearly the entirety of his eventual transfer sum in the form of profit. That money can then be used to fund their transfer ambitions for the remainder of the window – chief of which is signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.
The difficulty for United is that Garnacho has narrowed down the pool of clubs he would be happy to join. His ambition is to remain in the Premier League, understandably. Unfortunately for him, Chelsea are the only club who seem to be showing genuine interest.
One route to completing that transfer has now been closed off though. MEN Sport understands that United have no interest in entertaining a swap deal which would see Nicolas Jackson arrive at Old Trafford while Garnacho would go in the opposite direction to Chelsea.
On the face of things, this is a wise idea. Jackson has not set the world alight at Stamford Bridge and United sure do not need another striker who is struggling to find his feet in the Premier League.
However, the true success of this decision shall be measured, and ultimately rests entirely on, the ability to bring Sesko to United. If the Slovenian does not arrive in the summer window, the Reds shall remain without a new centre-forward and will have to rely on Rasmus Hojlund to lead the line again.
It is unclear whether or not Jackson would be an upgrade on Hojlund but the Reds are clearly going down the Sesko route so they must now get the job done and bring him to Old Trafford.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.