Facundo Pellistri’s exit from Manchester United is complete, with the club announcing his sale.
Manchester United have announced Facundo Pellistri has left the club on a permanent basis, to join Panathinaikos.
Facundo Pellistri sale details
Manchester United will receive just over £5 million for Facundo Pellistri, plus potentially another £1.5 million in add-ons.
It is a low fee which has generated plenty of debate, largely due to Pellistri’s impressive international exploits with Uruguay.
In fact, Pellistri will be managed at Panathinaikos by Diego Alonso, the manager who handed him his international debut in early 2022, when in the midst of a woeful loan spell at Alaves.
Pellistri made his Uruguay debut before his Manchester United one, and therein has been the problem.
The winger has struggled to make an impact at club level, making only 25 competitive appearances since 2020, also failing to score.
For context, that’s fewer than Paddy McNair and Jonathan Greening (27 each), Ronnie Wallwork (28), or Darren Ferguson (30), or the 31 made by Wout Weghorst in just half a season on loan.
Add in his expiring contract, and United can’t complain too much about the price either, despite his potential. Instead, the misgivings should be how he has been mismanaged, with some awful loan decisions.
Facundo Pellistri sell-on clause
Manchester United can still make a little extra on the sale of Facundo Pellistri in the long-run, after securing a sell-on clause.
According to BBC Sport, Panathinaikos’ deal for Pellistri gives Manchester United a 45 per cent sell-on clause, almost half his next sale.
This is smart business from Ineos, potentially landing a windfall in the future, or just a tidy top-up, benefiting in the long-run for the club’s work put into Pellistri’s development.
United fans will wish him well in Greece, where the winger will play for one of the country’s top teams, a luxury not afforded to him during his loan spells, while at United he was never given the chance to play regularly, if at all.
Pellistri did show promise, and has shown his capability at international level. We hope he can thrive at his new club.
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