Dan Ashworth can raise £83m for Joao Neves transfer with three quick sales at Manchester United

If Manchester United are to attain all of their transfer targets this summer, Dan Ashworth will need to repair the club’s reputation when it comes to sales.

United have been mediocre at best at receiving ample fees for exiting players, and have often allowed expensive arrivals to leave for free, Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane being just two. As a result, United’s stance within Premier League spending rules has taken a whack.

It is thought that United may only have around an initial net spend of around £50m this summer amid fears of breaching cash-loss limits. As such, sales would be needed to fund Erik ten Hag’s intention to land a defender, a midfielder and a striker.

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The early signs seem positive, with reports suggesting that Donny van de Beek will be sold to Girona, perhaps for as much as £13m, which would be remarkable given the dire spell the £39m signing has endured over the past four years.

United have meanwhile been linked with Joao Neves, but if the club are to prise the pivot away from Benfica, they would need to cough up a substantial amount. The midfielder has a reported £102m release clause and is sitting on a contract that still has four years left to run.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ambition this summer looks restrained given he is refusing to pay out £70m for Jarrad Branthwaite, and probably rightly so given the mistakes of previous years. But should it be decided that Neves is their target, Ashworth can sanction two other sales alongside Van de Beek to help fund a pursuit.

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