Omar Berrada officially began his tenure as Manchester United's new CEO on Saturday.
And it hasn't taken long for his influence to be felt at the club with a £9.7million transfer that will look rather familiar to those on the other side of Manchester.
Manchester City might not have been as active in the summer transfer market so far as some supporters would like, but they've still managed to make some sales. Only Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Newcastle have raked in more than the £60million that the Blues have pocketed thus far.
Liam Delap, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Lewis Fiorini, and Tommy Doyle have all been sold, with additional funds coming from a sell-on clause included in the deal that saw Douglas Luiz move to Aston Villa in 2019. That ability, to earn an extra £5m from a deal finalised five years ago, is one of the reasons why City have established such a formidable reputation in the transfer market, allowing them to continue investing in their squad without violating spending regulations.
United and City have spent similar amounts over the past five, 10, and 15 years, but their net spend is nowhere near the same. Since the start of the summer window in 2021, United have spent approximately £25m more, but have a net spend of about £280m more because they have made only a meagre amount in sales.
United's financial woes can be partly attributed to poor investments, with players who have little to no resale value. Donny van de Beek, who was bought for £40m in 2020, was sold to Girona this summer for an initial £430,000 (plus nearly £8m in potential add-ons), while the deal to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid never appeared as though it would offer good value beyond its first year.
On the other hand, City have been far more successful at selling assets at the right time - including young players where maintaining some future control in the deal can be invaluable. Sell-on and buyback clauses have become essential for clubs and agents looking to strike a deal for one of their young talents, with City benefitting either directly or indirectly from any prospect sold who advances his career.
Interestingly, on Berrada's first day at United, a deal was struck for Villarreal to purchase young centre-back Willy Kambwala in a deal that also includes a buyback option and a sell-on clause.
Former Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth and former City academy director Jason Wilcox appear to be employing the model that has significantly boosted City's finances as Berrada attempts to narrow the gap on his former colleagues.
Manchester City will be on high alert as United appear to be making strategic moves in the transfer market.
The recruitment of Berrada by United was seen as a nod to City's successful strategies, and it seems their rivals are not only eyeing their staff but also their methodologies.
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