Manchester United are set for a busy January transfer window, with the club looking to generate funds through player sales and contractual clauses. The recent dismissal of head coach Ruben Amorim has added to the upheaval at Old Trafford.
United have already profited from clauses involving Anthony Elanga, Alvaro Fernandez and Maxi Odeyele. Chelsea paid £5m to cancel their obligation to buy Jadon Sancho, while Marseille paid £5m after securing Champions League football with Mason Greenwood in their squad, which also triggered the purchase of an additional 10 per cent of his economic rights. These deals, combined with the other transfer-related clauses, have brought in a total of £25.6m.
The club holds a 40 per cent sell-on clause for Greenwood, who left for Marseille after a loan spell at Getafe during the 2023/24 season. If Marseille decide to sell the forward, United would receive nearly half of any future transfer fee.
Scott McTominay, who joined Napoli in August 2024, has a 10 per cent sell-on clause in his contract. Zidane Iqbal, now at Utrecht in the Netherlands, and Hannibal Mejbri, who moved to Burnley in 2024, have 40 per cent and 50 per cent sell-on clauses respectively.
It is likely that similar clauses are embedded in other contracts, positioning United to earn substantial revenue over the next few transfer windows. Should Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee decide to leave in January, it would be prudent for United to include sizeable sell-on clauses, particularly for Mainoo, whose potential is undeniable.
