Manchester United are reportedly ready to trigger Jorge Salinas' €16m (£14m) release clause, while Barcelona are unwilling to do so, according to Spanish publication SPORT via Sport Witness.
Reds willing to pay clause
The 19-year-old defender, who came through the ranks at Real Racing Club de Santander and made his first-team debut in 2024, has been linked with both clubs. United have already signed six new players this summer under head coach Michael Carrick, but they are reportedly prepared to add Salinas to their squad.
Atletico Madrid are also monitoring the situation, but they are waiting for Matteo Ruggeri to complete a move to Aston Villa before making a move for Salinas. Villa have agreed a deal worth €18m plus €6m in bonuses, which equates to £20m, with the La Liga side for Ruggeri.
Racing boss plays down exit talk
Despite the speculation, Racing boss Jorge Salinas insisted earlier this week that the defender and Gustavo Puerta do not want to leave the club this summer. He said: "Their professionalism doesn't surprise me. What surprises me is that people are constantly talking about the departure of two of our players [Salinas and Puerta], when they have contracts and are our players."
He added: "They're very important to us. I don't want them to leave. And they show every day that they don't either. But we know how this world works and there are release clauses. If a team comes along and pays the clause, they cease to be our players."
Sporting director admits 'giant' threat
Last week, Racing sporting director Chema Aragon made similar comments but acknowledged the club would be powerless if a 'giant' such as United or Barcelona came in with a significant bid. "There's little you can do if a giant appears," Aragon said. "We value the assets we have, we consider them important. For the club, at this time, there is no other option than to try to strengthen the team and not weaken it by losing stars. The reality is that the club that wants him has to come along with an offer."
