Manchester United have been 'stitched up' by contract clauses in the past - but they also stand to benefit from some too
Mason Greenwood playing for Marseille
Mason Greenwood could end up making Man Utd millions more than he already has(Image: Getty Images)
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When Manchester United sold Mason Greenwood to Marseille for £26.6million in 2024, they prioritised long-term value over immediate cash by negotiating a substantial sell-on clause. The original agreement granted United 50 per cent of any future transfer fee Marseille might receive for the forward, though recent reports suggest this could now be 40 per cent.
As a player with homegrown status at United, Greenwood's transfer revenue was logged as pure profit under the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). To put the possible scale in context: if he were sold for £50m, United could receive £25m under the original terms, or £20m if the clause stands at 40 per cent.
However, United would not keep the entire amount. Part of the deal agreed during Greenwood's 2023 loan spell at Getafe entitles the Spanish club to 20 per cent of whatever United earn from his next move. There remains uncertainty over whether that share applies to the total fee or only the profit Marseille make, but in either case it would cut into United's eventual windfall.
Greenwood's situation offers a useful comparison to another former United academy product: Alejandro Garnacho. The Argentine winger moved to Chelsea for £40m last summer after a high-profile falling-out with then-manager Ruben Amorim.
Crucially, United secured a 10 per cent sell-on clause, ensuring they would receive a slice of any future transfer fee if Chelsea decide to sell him.
Because Garnacho came through United's academy, having joined from Atletico Madrid for just £100,000 in 2020, the initial £40m fee was treated as pure profit under PSR. Any income generated via the sell-on clause would be similarly accounted.
The 21-year-old signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge, keeping him at Chelsea until 2032, meaning any windfall may not arrive immediately.
Alejandro Garnacho
Man United retain a 10 per cent sell-on clause in Alejandro Garnacho's contract(Image: Getty Images)
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That said, his modest start in west London - just one goal in 16 Premier League appearances so far - combined with Chelsea's tendency to aggressively trade players for profit, means an early departure cannot be entirely ruled out.
United have also encountered complex sell-on arrangements with other clubs, notably when Manchester City sold Brahim Diaz to Real Madrid in 2019. City included a carefully structured clause to deter a potential transfer to Old Trafford, with a 40 per cent sell-on clause triggered if Madrid sold Diaz to United, but only 15 per cent for any other club.
By inflating the figure for a United move, City effectively made such a deal financially prohibitive, a strategic safeguard against strengthening a direct rival.
Brahim Diaz
Brahim Diaz had a clause in his contract that all but prevented Real Madrid from selling him to Manchester United(Image: Soccrates Images, Getty Images)
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Contractual clauses have affected transfers to United in other cases too. During his time at Barcelona, Luis Suarez reportedly had provisions that prevented certain elite European clubs - including United, Real Madrid, Man City and PSG - from signing him directly.
As a result, when Suarez left Barcelona in 2020, several high-profile routes were blocked. He ultimately joined Atletico Madrid, going on to lead them to the La Liga title in his debut season at the Metropolitano, a reminder that even the most carefully drafted clauses don't always work as intended.
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