Erik ten Hag hints at using buy-back clause to sign ex-Man Utd defender

Erik ten Hag has hinted that Manchester United are interested in utilising their buy-back clause to sign in-form full-back Alvaro Carreras from Benfica.

The 21-year-old, known better as Alvaro Fernandez during his time in England, was on the books at Old Trafford between 2020 and 2024, but failed to make a single Premier League appearances for the Red Devils - being shipped out on loan to Preston North End, Granada and Benfica.

Benfica exercised an option to sign Carreras on a permanent deal in May 2024, and since then he has developed into a key player for the Liga Portugal outfit.

Carreras' impressive performances during the current 2024/25 season, coupled with the club's current injury crisis at full-back, have led to many Man Utd fans questioning the decision to sell the the Spanish youngster.

Addressing these criticisms in a pre-match press conference, manager Ten Hag was keen to stress that the club do have a buy-back clause that they can exercise.

"I think the process is perfect," he said. "We loan him to Preston, he got back, then we loan him to Granada, he didn’t play so much there, and of course we, all the time, observed him and now we had the opportunity to sell him.

"But we have a buy-back [clause] so we have control of the situation, I think that’s what he needed.

"From Preston, then go to La Liga, go to Portugal [with Benfica], every time stepping up to a higher club and a better league. Now we have to see and assess the situation if he can be an option for us.

"But playing at Man Utd is not so easy, playing in the Premier League for Manchester United is not so easy. You need experience, also development. You get development from playing for better clubs and in better leagues."

Luckily for United, the full-back's buy-back clause is believed to be just £16m, making him an incredibly financially viable option during the upcoming January transfer window.

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