
Manchester United
Premier League • England
Ten Hag in dreamland as Man Utd announce transfer containing stunning clause and next big signing ‘verbally agreed’

Sporting director Dan Ashworth has worked miracles in a confirmed Manchester United transfer, while the club’s next big signing has been verbally agreed, according to a report.
Among Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first priorities upon taking full control of all sporting matters at Man Utd was to appoint who he believed to be the ‘best in class’ in senior positions.
Man Utd have done exactly that, with Omar Berrada (CEO), Dan Ashworth (sporting director) and Jason Wilcox (technical director) signing up.
Ashworth is leading the way on Man Utd’s recruitment and the former Newcastle chief has pulled off a masterstroke with United’s latest confirmed move.
The Red Devils announced the sale of forgotten winger Facundo Pellistri to Greek giant Panathinaikos on Wednesday night.
Pellistri, 22, cost roughly £9m when signed from Penarol back in 2020, though spent the bulk of his time with United out on loan.
Man Utd have suffered a loss on the player after Fabrizio Romano revealed Panathinaikos are paying €6m/£5.1m plus €2m/£1.7m in add-ons. However, Ashworth has successfully inserted a key clause that could net the club a giant second windfall.
Sell-on clauses are common in football, though not usually to the level in which Ashworth has negotiated the clause in Pellistri’s sale.
Per Romano, Man Utd will receive a whopping 45 percent of any future sale. Man Utd also have a buy-back option that runs for three years until 2027.
Should Pellistri reach his full potential while playing regularly in Greece, the suitors will no doubt begin to hover over a player who has already been capped 26 times for Uruguay.
If Pellistri were to be sold for £20m in a future window, for example, Man Utd would be in line to collect another £9m. A £30m sale would equate to Man Utd receiving £13.5m and so on.
Key to sealing the transfer was the influence of Panathinaikos boss, Diego Alonso. He is the former manager of the Uruguayan national team and had put his faith in the winger at international level despite Pellistri’s club career stalling over the past few years.
DON’T MISS: Leeds reach full agreement for former Man Utd star as Fabrizio Romano drops ‘here we go’ confirmation
Man Utd verbally agree Manuel Ugarte transfer
Elsewhere, Man Utd are closing in on making PSG’s Manuel Ugarte their fifth summer signing. Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee were arrivals one through four.
Personal terms on a five-year deal with a club option for a sixth season are in place. Ugarte has made it clear he wants Man Utd only and PSG are open to accepting a loan with an obligation to buy attached.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Man Utd and PSG have struck a ‘verbal agreement’ on the move which is ‘done and sealed.’
Man Utd are in line to bow to PSG’s demands and commit to their full €60m/£51m asking price. Whether the move will be a permanent switch or loan with a view to Ugarte signing outright in 2025 isn’t yet clear.
In any case, the two clubs are on the finishing straight for Ugarte’s transfer and barring any unforeseen late hiccups, Man Utd’s fifth major signing of the summer will be finalised soon.
READ MORE: What Man Utd would lose by selling Scott McTominay: Five factors to make Ten Hag think twice