Manchester United completed one of their biggest sales ever when they sold Mason Greenwood to Marseille for up to £26.7 million.
It was an unexpected turnaround as just last season, they were panicking to find a taker for him after their attempt at reintegrating him fell through in an embarrassing fashion.
Getafe were the team that took a chance on him then and that paid off handsomely as Mason Greenwood rehabilitated his on-pitch value.
The Spanish club were always in a strong negotiating position due to United’s desperation to offload him last summer and it looks like they pinched United for every penny they had.
Unusual Mason Greenwood clause
There were reports in January that United might look to see Greenwood in the middle of the season by recalling him from Getafe.
It was believed that to do so, they would have to pay the Spanish side a portion of the fee since they were cutting the loan short, a completely sensible clause.
However, as it turns out, that clause stretched beyond his spell at Getafe, and United effectively remain indebted to them as long as they make money off of Greenwood.
The Athletic reports that United had to pay Getafe 20% of the money made from his sale, which comes to about £5.34 million from £26.7 million, one of the biggest sales by United.
Even that would be slightly understandable, as United wouldn’t have been able to get this money had Getafe not taken a chance on him last summer.
However, that is where the clause becomes a remarkable example of Getafe profiting from United’s desperation last summer.
Under the terms of the initial loan deal, Getafe are also entitled to 20% of the fee United make off of Greenwood in the future as well, an unheard-of clause in the transfer market.
That means, if Marseille were to sell Greenwood for twice the amount United have to them, then the Red Devils will make 50% of the profit due to their own sell-on clause.
The profit comes out to about £25 million, of which £5 million will go to Getafe again, due to their own 20% of future sales clause.
How it affects the finances
Getafe’s clause means United have only really earned slightly north of £20 million from the sale, and they will hope Greenwood gets sold by Marseille for a humongous amount in the future.
That is true also because Marseille, who know they have to pay 50% of the profit to United, will drive a hard bargain in the future.
It is worth noting that any fee from Greenwood’s sale is a huge relief for United as his status as an academy product makes it a pure profit on the books.
In that sense, even £20 million is good, as it effectively allows them to spend £100 million on a player on a five-year contract, theoretically.
Still, Greenwood’s unique situation has led them to this point where they have effectively been held hostage by an opportunist team who will continue to profit off a player they had for only one season.