This summer, Manchester United said goodbye to Alvaro Fernandez one last time as he departed for Portugal, having joined Benfica.
After graduating from the United youth academy in 2022, having transferred from Real Madrid, Fernandez has been on three different loan spells. These include a season at Preston North End, six months at Granada, before six months at Benfica, with the Portuguese side opting to buy the star in July.
With so many loan spells since leaving the academy, the 21-year-old never made a competitive debut for United, however has now become the starting left-back for his new side.
Benfica bought the star for £5 million (€6 million), however, United included a buy-back clause of £16 million, as opposed to the £41 million release clause in his contract.
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With both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia out with long-term injuries, United are still without a natural left-back available for games, sparking interest in their recent departure.
In a recent interview ahead of The Red Devils’ Premier League fixture with Brentford at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag has commented on the situation with the young defender.
Erik ten Hag comments on Alvaro Fernandez
During his most recent press conference, ten Hag commented that the process for Fernandez’s development has been “perfect”.
Discussing his experiences away from the club, ten Hag said: “I think the process is perfect. We loan him to Preston, he got back, then we loan him to Granada, he didn’t play so much there, and of course we, all the time, observed him and now we had the opportunity to sell him,”
He continued: “But we have a buy-back [clause] so we have control of the situation, I think that’s what he needed.
“From Preston, then go to La Liga, go to Portugal [with Benfica], every time stepping up to a higher club and a better league.
“Now we have to see and assess the situation if he can be an option for us. But playing at Man United is not so easy, playing in the Premier League for Manchester United is not so easy.
“You need experience, also development. You get development from playing for better clubs and in better leagues.”
From his comments, ten Hag feels that the step up between each of Fernandez’s clubs has been in the right direction, being the main reason for the defender being on the radar of several top clubs.
However, whether United will make a move for their former star, having lost £11 million on him in the process, remains to be seen.
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