How Manchester United misjudged their left back with one transfer decision

The emergence that Manchester United had sold Alvaro Fernandez to Benfica did not cause a ripple on May 26. Many United supporters were still possibly drunk from their FA Cup triumph the previous day.

Benfica paid United a fixed fee of €6million, with €3m in add-ons. The terms included a high percentage sell-on clause and a buy-back option that expires in 2026.

Perception and timing are Erik ten Hag's enemies at the moment. Both of United's specialist left backs are still unavailable and Fernandez is now the starting left back for Benfica.

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He was the recipient of the man of the match orb after their 4-0 Champions League drubbing of Atletico Madrid this month. The former Real Madrid youth-teamer could head back to Spain for senior international duty soon.

Alejandro Grimaldo, starter for Spain at left back in their 1-0 defeat of Denmark on Saturday, left Benfica for Bayer Leverkusen last year. Benfica is a prosperous club for a left back to flourish. Fabio Coentrao left in 2011 for Real Madrid.

Ten Hag would be cut some slack if he had bothered to properly use Fernandez. He omitted him from his first pre-season tour squad in 2022 and when he included him the following year, Fernandez did not appear in any of United's three first-team friendlies. He actually dropped down to start for the academy in their 3-1 loss to Wrexham in San Diego.

The only times Fernandez played under Ten Hag were in the first halves against Leeds United in Norway and Lyon in Edinburgh at the start of the 2023 pre-season schedule, and 64 minutes against Athletic Bilbao at the end.

Come the