Man Utd star sold for 'peanuts' in summer now wanted by Real Madrid and Barcelona

Alvaro Fernandez was allowed to leave Manchester United for £5m in the summer but La Liga's big two are interested in a transfer for the full back following impressive run of form with Benfica

Barcelona and Real Madrid are both interested in making a move for Alvaro Fernandez, the full back who Manchester United let go for only £5million last summer.

Now at Benfica, the 21-year-old has impressed to the extent that the Spanish giants have had their interest piqued.

Fernandez joined the Lisbon club on loan halfway through last season and they triggered a clause to make the deal permanent for a fee described as peanuts at the time by disgruntled United fans. And Portuguese daily O Jogo have reported that Barca and Real are looking at Fernandez, who has played every minute of Benfica's past seven games.

But United are understood to have a buy-back clause that could see Fernandez return to Old Trafford instead for a fee.

Under pressure Erik ten Hag has been left with a shortage of options at full back because of injury and the Dutchman could have done with Fernandez. Left backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia remain long-term absentees, meaning Diogo Dalot has shifted across from the right side of defence. Yet Noussair Mazraoui is also set for a spell on the sidelines after undergoing minor surgery for a heart issue earlier this week.

United have taken just eight points from their first seven league games and only newly promoted Southampton have scored fewer goals.

A board meeting at INEOS headquarters in London on Tuesday failed to yield a conclusive decision around Ten Hag's future. But he is still in the last chance saloon with the rest of October set to be decisive.

United return to action against Brentford on October 19 before travelling to Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce in the Europa League. They then visit West Ham in the league before finishing the month with an EFL Cup round of 16 tie versus Leicester City.

“We are all on board together, on one page, we know what we are working through. It’s a long-term process," Ten Hag said last week amid fresh doubts around his future.

“It’s external noise. Internally we’re disappointed and we know we have to do better. Especially we need to score more. But I don’t have any idea it is different, because they would tell me. We communicate and are very transparent.”

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