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Manchester United young left back Alvaro Fernandez has been on loan at Benfica since January and as The Athletic report, the Portuguese outfit are expected to trigger a buy option to make the loan transfer permanent this summer.
Fernandez, 21, has made 13 appearances for Benfica since joining on loan from United in the January transfer window and has impressed enough to earn himself a permanent move.
The Portuguese club are now set to activate an option from that loan agreement to sign Fernandez permanently in a €6million deal plus an additional €3m in potential add-ons.
The young left back spent the first half of the season on loan at La Liga club Granada, where he made just five starts and only recorded 473 minutes of league action.
The Spain Under-21 international’s exits from United this season comes amidst deficiency at left bsck in the squad with first-choice left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia both suffering long-term injury absences.
Sergio Reguilon spent the first half of the season on loan at United from Tottenham Hotspur but the club opted to end his loan spell in January.
Diogo Dalot and Aaron-Wan Bissaka, both natural right-backs, have had to deputise at left for large parts of the campaign with Victor Lindelof and midfielder Sofyan Amrabat also featuring on occasion.
Fernandez was named as United’s Under-23 player of the year for the 2021-22 season and spent the next seaon on loan at Championship club Preston North End rather impressively and making 42 appearances.
He is one of eight members of United’s first-team squad currently out on loan alongside Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood, Donny van de Beek and Hannibal Mejbri.
