Erik ten Hag admits Man Utd transfer interest in Benfica star with contract clause

Alvaro Fernandez near Manchester United for Benfica successful the summertime arsenic helium sought regular shot but the Red Devils could re-sign him owed to their buy-back clause

Erik 10 Hag maintains that Manchester United are keeping tabs connected Alvaro Fernandez - who left the nine for Benfica.

Fernandez moved to Old Trafford arsenic a 16-year-old from Real Madrid and made his mode done the academy into the first-team squad via spells connected indebtedness astatine Preston successful the Championship and past with Spanish outfit Granada. He failed to marque his debut however.

In hunt of regular shot helium joined Benfica connected indebtedness past January and the Portuguese giants activated an enactment to motion him permanently for conscionable £5million successful May. Fernandez has since established himself arsenic a cardinal subordinate this play successful Lisbon but United clasp the enactment of a buy-back clause.

As a result, they've kept a watchful oculus arsenic Fernandez continues his development. United's ain left-back options are constricted with Luke Shaw, their archetypal prime erstwhile fit, often spending clip connected the sidelines. Ten Hag though has underlined the request to play regularly earlier taking connected the situation of playing successful Manchester.

He said: “I deliberation the process is perfect. We indebtedness him to Preston, helium got back, past we indebtedness him to Granada, helium didn't play truthful overmuch there, and of people we, each the time, observed him and present we had the accidental to merchantability him. But we person a buy-back [clause] truthful we person power of the situation, I deliberation that's what helium needed.

"From Preston, past spell to La Liga, spell to Portugal [with Benfica], each clip stepping up to a higher nine and a amended league. Now we person to spot and measure the concern if helium tin beryllium an enactment for us. But playing astatine Man United is not truthful easy, playing successful the Premier League for Manchester United is not truthful easy.

"You request experience, besides development. You get improvement from playing for amended clubs and successful amended leagues.”

United person been consenting to springiness young players an accidental successful the archetypal team. Kobbie Mainoo is the top illustration of that during Ten Hag's tenure with the midfielder becoming a regular with nine and state pursuing a breakout season.

Fernandez though was forced to caput elsewhere contempt antecedently being vocal astir his tendency to yet marque the people successful Manchester. United's recruitment and retention has agelong been criticised and, contempt the accomplishment of caller determination makers, their summertime decisions are yet to carnivore fruit.

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