Manchester United, had some of their loaned-out players made an impression between January and June, could have had a windfall in excess of £30 million coming their way.
But with Donny van de Beek playing ‘even worse’ at Eintracht Frankfurt than he was in the Premier League, the £13 million option-to-buy clause in the Dutchman’s contract looks destined to go ignored.
You can say the same about Alvaro Fernandez, the hand-wringing which accompanied the left-back’s January departure rendered a little ironic by his struggles over in Portugal with Benfica, even if an injury-affected United could do with more options on the flank.
Fernandez would set Benfica back £5 million had they sign him in the summer, but that already looks fanciful. Ditto Hannibal Mejbri at Sevilla.
Another bad weekend for Manchester United loanee
As explained a couple of weeks ago by Spanish newspaper Estadio Deportivo, Hannibal’s representatives have been left in ‘disbelief’ about the situation facing him at the La Liga outfit.
A fortnight on, an already desperate situation is looking even more dire. The Tunisia international – who has a £14 million option-to-buy contract in his own contract – endured a bad start to life in Seville and things appear to be getting worse by the week.
His one and only start was brought to an end after just 53 minutes against Real Sociedad on March 2. He was left on the bench for the two games after that, and was nowhere to be seen as Sevilla extended the gap between themselves and the dreaded relegation zone with a nervy 1-0 win at Getafe on Sunday.
Hannibal, so impressive on loan at Birmingham City in England’s second tier, was not even included in Quique Sanches Flores’ 23-man squad for the trip to the Colosseum.
£14 million sale is already ‘impossible’
Estadio Deportivo pointed out that, following the confirmation that Hannibal would be left at home, coach Sanches Flores opted instead to include a number of players who recovered from injury during the international break.
Thus, forcing the former Monaco wonderkid even further down hte peckin order.
“Due to his lack of prominence, and the financial difficulties that the Nervion club is going through, it is impossible for him to stay,” the publication write, making it clear that Sevilla – even if they could – would be unlikely to make much use of the purchase clause at their disposal.