Man Utd transfer plans explained as three players set to depart

Manchester United are expecting to move on three players in the coming days, ManchesterWorld understands.

Alvaro Fernandez, Hannibal and Mateo Mejia will depart this window with the trio of youngsters not deemed to be in manager Erik ten Hag’s immediate plans, and continues the club’s recent policy shift in regards to selling youth-team players.

Fernandez’s loan was cut short at Granada on Sunday, with United opting to recall the player ahead of a switch to Benfica. The left-back, who is highly rated at Old Trafford and was monitored closely by Ten Hag in pre-season, played 13 times for the Spanish side in the first half of the campaign.

Fernandez is expected to complete another loan move, this time to Benfica, with the deal including an option to buy.

As for Hannibal and Mejia, they’re both off to Sevilla. The latter is close to agreeing a permanent move to the current Europa League holders, having failed to force his way into the senior squad. The winger has trained with the senior United team this season but is yet to be included in a first-team matchday squad.

The opposite is true of Hannibal, who has made 10 appearances this campaign but remains behind the likes of Scott McTominay, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes in the midfield pecking order. He has already arrived in Spain and is close to sealing a loan move to Sevilla, with the option of a permanent deal.

The departures of the trio, along with Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho moving on, plus Sergio Reguilon’s return to Tottenham Hotspur, will see a significant reduction in United’s wage will.

The club’s financial outlook is not healthy and departures were always seen as more likely than arrivals this window. Indeed, the only January signings will be loan moves, a possibility that seems more likely with a reduced wage bill.

But United sources insist there is little expectation at this stage that arrivals on loan will be forthcoming, even if Ten Hag would like additional options up front.

Asked about the possibility of loan signings last week, the Dutchman replied: “When such opportunities come up, we have to take them. At the same time, you have to analyse what we have on board, what is coming up."