Manchester United have two transfer options on prodigy after clever summer deal

While Manchester United has been searching for a left-back this summer, the one they sold has been making waves in the Champions League and attracting admiring glances from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Alvaro Fernandez Carreras left Old Trafford after Benfica activated an option to sign him permanently at the end of a loan move. He has been impressive in Portugal so far this season, starting seven successive games at left back in the league and Europe.

He was one of Benfica's star men in the 4-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid, which forms part of the Eagles' 100% start to their Champions League campaign. The Portuguese papers praised him for an assured defensive performance and for offering an attacking outlet down the left.

ALSO READ: United have a big £15m problem complicating Ten Hag sack decision

ALSO READ: Erik ten Hag expecting to take charge of Manchester United next week

That is precisely what United have needed this season, with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia still yet to kick a ball. Diogo Dalot has been forced into action as a makeshift left-back and has struggled in the position, while midfielder Toby Collyer played there in the Carabao Cup success against Barnsley.

United didn't have much of a choice when it came to the departure of Fernandez, with Benfica exercising their option to purchase the 21-year-old after an encouraging loan spell. The fee of €6m plus a further €3m in add-ons looks like a bargain.

But as with the recent sale of every young player, United did put some protections in place with the deal. They have what club officials describe as a "high" sell-on clause, as well as a buyback option for a fee that is reported to be similar to the £7.5m they got from Benfica.

Portuguese newspaper O Jogo reports that United are already considering activating that buyback clause, while Real Madrid and Barcelona have been impressed with the Spain Under-21 internationals' start to life in an elite first-team environment.

United could feasibly make a move for Fernandez in January if their left-back struggles continue. Shaw hasn't played for the club since February, and Malacia has been absent since May 2023. The fitness of neither can be guaranteed, and the first couple of months of this season have shown that makeshift solutions simply aren't working.

Shaw and Malacia have three months to prove they can return to fitness and make a difference. Otherwise, United will surely be forced into action in January. A loan move could be attractive for a club still battling to comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Equally, a cut-price deal for a 21-year-old performing on the biggest club stage of all could make sense. Especially as Fernandez already knows the set-up and the culture at United.

Even if United decide against pursuing that route, they could soon be profiting again anyway. Real or Barcelona are only likely to make their move next summer, but if Fernandez continues to perform for Benfica and maybe forces his way into the senior international set-up, then a deal could become more likely.

There will be some frustration among supporters at seeing a left-back United sold perform so well elsewhere at the moment. But this is a deal United were powerless to stop in May, and the clauses they built into it could yet prove to be particularly beneficial.