The Club World Cup has been a source of major complaint and controversy from those who are participating, but Man Utd have had a nightmare outcome without playing.
Ruben Amorim will be thankful that he gets a full pre-season with the Man Utd squad to imprint his ideas, while the players get a rest.
That is not a privilege afforded to the likes of Man City and Chelsea, which could give Man Utd an unexpected boost next season.
However, before that boost, a nightmare has arrived via the Club World Cup, and United’s already precarious financial situation could see a potential hit coming.
Benfica's Spanish defender #03 Alvaro Fernandez Carreras reacts after the UEFA Champions League football match FC Bayern Munich vs SL Benfica in Munich, southern Germany, on November 6, 2024
Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images
Man Utd’s Club World Cup nightmare
Despite United not participating in the tournament, there’s a strong United flavour in the Club World Cup.
Marcos Rojo fell out with his manager, while the likes of Matteo Darmian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Angel di Maria continue to defy Father Time.
However, none of their performances directly impact United anymore, especially in the short term.
That honour goes to Di Maria’s teammate at Benfica, and a player on whom United are relying for a minor relief to their finances.
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That player is Alvaro Fernandez, who was set to sign for Real Madrid before the Club World Cup began, with United getting a portion of the fee Benfica receive for him.
However, if Madrid and Benfica were waiting for the Club World Cup campaign to finish before finalising their negotiation, Madrid have played a blinder, much to the misfortune of United.
Alvaro Fernandez has had a nightmare at the Club World Cup. His tournament started with a yellow card and an underwhelming performance against Boca Juniors.
He followed it up with another booking against Auckland in a draw that was a huge upset. Two yellow cards in two games saw him get suspended for the final group game against Bayern.
He returned and was available for Benfica’s Round-of-16 fixture against Chelsea, but didn’t even come off the bench as Benfica crashed out with a 4-1 loss.
Benfica’s hand in negotiations has never been weaker, and United’s fortunes are the same.
United’s financial hit due to Alvaro Fernandez’s bad form
The earlier suggestions that United were set to receive about 40% of Fernandez’s transfer fee had been refuted already.
The 20% sell-on clause would have entitled United to about £8 million, a figure that seems small but could effectively have sped up the negotiations for Bryan Mbeumo as a pure profit number.
However, Madrid, as shrewd negotiators as they are, will undoubtedly bring the price down, or pay more over instalments, which would hit the fee United are set to receive this summer.
Madrid were already paying for Fernandez creatively, with a windfall for his agent cutting United out of the picture since that isn’t money Benfica receive.
With his performances at the Club World Cup, their hand will be strengthened further, which is a nightmare scenario for United.
When it rains, it pours, and for United’s financial situation, it is thundering down right now and they don’t have a roof over their heads.
Fernandez’s performances have even taken away their umbrella.