Man Utd transfer chief looks to sell four flops who cost £230m to Saudi clubs

18 December 2023 , 15:48

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John Murtough is responsible for giving Erik ten Hag the best possible squad (Image: Getty Images)

Manchester United's football director John Murtough flew to Saudi Arabia earlier this month to try to sell some of the club's under-performing players.

It's claimed Murtough made his way to Riyadh to speak to Saudi Pro League chiefs about the possibility of selling Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial and Casemiro. United's transfer boss is thought to have left the country without striking a deal.

It will be difficult for many Saudi clubs to bring in fresh talent in January after filling their overseas quotas during the summer, when the likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane and Ruben Neves moved there. But not impossible.

Murtough is said to have established some new relationships with Saudi chiefs that could pave the way for transfers to be agreed in the future, perhaps next summer. United are still expected to try to offload the quartet in January, even if Saudi clubs aren't keen.

Murtough's secret meeting with Saudi chiefs was revealed by the Daily Mail on Monday. It's claimed Murtough's priority is finding a buyer for Sancho after the England international fell out with manager Erik ten Hag in September. He hasn't played since.

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Sancho was one of Europe's most exciting footballers when United paid Borussia Dortmund £73million for him in July 2021, having scored 38 goals and provided 51 assists in 104 Bundesliga games. Yet he's found the net just nine times in the Premier League since.

Sancho still has two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract and, at 23, has a promising career ahead of him. Although it will be difficult for United to claw back all of the £73m they invested in him two-and-a-half years ago, another big move is still a possibility. It's also important to note that Sancho is one of United's highest earners on £350,000-a-week.

Casemiro and Jadon Sancho could both be sold by Manchester United (Getty Images)

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United are under pressure to sell because they are thought to be close to breaching the Premier League's financial rules. They were fined nearly £260,000 by UEFA in July for a 'minor break-even deficit' and spent nearly £200m on new players during the summer.

Regarding Casemiro, it'll be difficult for United to get back much of the £70m they spent on him just 16 months ago when he arrived from Real Madrid. The 31-year-old Brazilian impressed last season but has struggled with form and fitness this time around.

Saudi teams are likely to be the only clubs willing to spend a fortune on Casemiro, considering his age and their transfer business last summer. And United could fail to pick up a transfer fee for Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane, with both players out of contract in the summer. They have the option to extend their contracts by a further 12 months.

Varane, 30, was signed form Real Madrid in August 2021 in a £42m deal but has struggled with form and fitness since the transfer. Martial, 28, is one of United's longest serving players, having arrived from Monaco in September 2015 in a £45m deal. Yet the French striker has scored just 12 goals in the Premier League since September 2020.

Tom Blow