Man Utd confirm 10th loan exit of January window ahead of transfer deadline day

Facundo Pellistri has completed his loan move to Granada for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

The Manchester United winger has made 14 appearances for the Red Devils this campaign but has started just one Premier League match and has fallen behind Antony, Amad, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Pellistri will now spend the rest of the season in Spain following his short-term transfer which was confirmed late on Wednesday night. The deal is just a straight loan without an option to buy.

United have also received a loan fee, although the club are unwilling to reveal the exact sum, and Granada are covering all of Pellistri’s wages.

In a statement when the move was announced, United said: “Everybody at United wishes Facundo all the best this season and we will be tracking his progress closely.”

The switch to Granada is Pellistri’s third loan move to Liga since he joined United in 2020. The Uruguay winger enjoyed two previous spells at Deportivo Alaves and he made 35 appearances for the club, nine more than he’s managed in his time at Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old’s agent, Edgardo Lasalvia, also publicly criticised manager Erik ten Hag and said Pellistri has no future at the club while the Dutchman is manager. 

“Whether he returns to Manchester in the middle of the year will depend on the performance he shows [at Granada]. If Ten Hag continues, it’s going to be difficult,” Lasalvia told Uruguayan radio station Sport 890. “[Ten Hag] hasn’t used him, valued him, or treated him like a professional.”

Meanwhile, Pellistri is the 10th player to leave United on loan this month with Radek Vitek, Rhys Bennett, Alvaro Fernandez, Maxi Oyedele, Dan Gore, Donny van de Beek, Hannibal, Jadon Sancho and Joe Hugill all departing in January, while Mateo Mejia signed for Sevilla in a permanent deal.