5 former Man United players with buy-back clauses, 4 of them may be activated.
Manchester United has been proactive in its pursuit of new players prior to September 1, but the Red Devils have also been adept at releasing players.
United have given a handful of their talented young players the opportunity to launch their careers elsewhere in recent weeks, while the emphasis has been on moving senior players such as Fred and Harry Maguire in order to raise additional transfer funds for Erik ten Hag.
United has lost a handful of youthful stars with buyback clauses in their contracts, and others have left under similar circumstances in the past.
Here, thesoccerstand examines the Manchester United players who could return to Old Trafford in the future…
Zidane Iqbal
Zidane Iqbal was a member of Manchester United’s roster for fifteen years prior to joining FC Utrecht this summer.
The 20-year-old was highly regarded behind the scenes at Old Trafford but did not make a single appearance for the Red Devils due to Ten Hag’s abundance of talent. However, Manchester United will closely monitor Iqbal’s development with an eye toward bringing him back to the club.
In the €1 million (£850,000) deal that sent Iqbal to the Eredivisie, the club inserted a number of clauses, including a buyback clause and a substantial sell-on clause that will see United receive 40% of any future transfer.
If Iqbal performs well in a division where Ten Hag has frequently scouted players in the past, the youngster has every chance of returning to United in the future.
Charlie Savage, son of former Wales midfielder Robbie Savage, is well-known to Manchester United supporters after making his Champions League debut in 2021.
Despite this initial success, Savage junior failed to penetrate into United’s first-team plans and spent last season on loan with Forest Green Rovers in League One.
Savage’s departure surprised many, particularly given that he captained Manchester United in a preseason match shortly before completing a permanent transfer to Reading. As they did with Iqbal, United insisted on a clause that would allow them to bring Savage back to the club in the future if they so desired.
Reading’s Savage has made an impressive start to life in League One and has already scored in the League Cup against Millwall. Given that the Royals are expected to contend for promotion back to the Championship, Savage could reappear on United’s radar in the future if his EFL career continues to progress positively.
Mr. Matej Kovar
Matej Kovar impressed Manchester United in preseason following David de Gea’s departure, but the former Czech Republic youth international was allowed to conclude a £7.7m transfer to Bayer Leverkusen last week.
After joining Manchester United as a teenager, Kovar excelled in United’s youth squads before spending last season on loan with Sparta Prague.
The 23-year-old could still have a future at the club, despite the fact that there was no room for him in United’s new goalkeeping department.
If he performs well for Dortmund, Manchester United will be able to send him back to Old Trafford through a buyback clause included in the deal that sent him to one of Germany’s most prestigious clubs.
John Garner
James Garner was regarded as one of Manchester United’s most promising young players, but he yearned for regular first-team action after he excelled on loan at Nottingham Forest in the 2021/22 season.
Once it became apparent that United were willing to facilitate a transfer, there was significant interest in Garner, including from Leicester and Everton.
Last summer, the latter club won the bidding for the playmaker’s signature, but Manchester United insisted on a repurchase clause.
However, considering Garner’s struggles at Goodison Park, such a transfer seems unlikely at present.
Memphis Depay
Memphis Depay was among the first players to depart Old Trafford with a buy-back clause, but that ship has sailed.
Intriguingly, Depay was linked with a return to Manchester United after Ten Hag’s appointment last summer, but no transfer occurred.
It appears that Depay’s legacy at United will be the limited time he spent there earlier in his career before moving to Lyon.
Manchester United was eager to secure the option to purchase Depay again in the future, despite his lackluster tenure with the club. However, the clause had long since expired before they contemplated pursuing his signature once more.
5 former Man United players with buy-back clauses, 4 of them may be activated.