Forgotten Man United player could provide Ineos with unexpected FFP boost

It is no secret that Manchester United will need to cut their cloth to remain within the boundaries of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules [PSR] this summer.

The club has been guilty of stockpiling players in recent years, allowing several to run down their contracts and depart for free. Jesse Lingard, who left Old Trafford June 2022, is a prime example of United’s mismanagement on this front.

United had the opportunity to sell the now-FC Seoul midfielder 12 months earlier when his stock was at an all-time high after a blistering loan spell at West Ham United in the second half of the 2020/21 campaign. However, he was persuaded to stay by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the club missed out on what would have been a welcome cash injection.

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United cannot afford to repeat mistakes like that. The Premier League is tightening its profit and sustainability rules, forcing clubs into becoming more proactive in the seller’s market. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is aware of that and plans to improve United’s productivity in the seller’s market this summer. Sales could reach double figures over the next few months, meaning there could be some high-profile departures.

United need to offload a couple of big-name players for big-money fees, with Scott McTominay deemed as one of the most sellable assets within the squad that should realistically be moved on this summer. There are also players within the club’s ranks that will be worth lesser fees, but still need moving on all the same.

Facundo Pellistri fits that bracket. The winger joined United from Uruguayan club Penarol in October 2020 and has made just 24 appearances in almost four years, making it clear he is unlikely to have a long-term future at Old Trafford.

He has been sent out on loan twice, most recently at Granada in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign. Despite being unable to stop them suffering relegation from La Liga, he chipped in with two goals and two assists in 15 games.

He has now linked up with the Uruguay squad ahead of the Copa America starting in the United States later this month. He started their warm-up match against Mexico on Wednesday night and scored his first goal for his country, helping them secure a comprehensive 4-0 win.

Despite struggling to make a name for himself at United, Pellistri has established himself as a key figure for Uruguay since making his senior debut in January 2022. He is a regular starter for head coach Marcelo Bielsa and is poised to play a key role in their Copa America. The former Alaves loanee, who is a throwback to a winger of yesteryear, will no doubt use the tournament as an opportunity to try and put himself in the shop window.

After being farmed out on loan in January, it is highly unlikely he will feature in United’s plans for next season. It would be his and United’s best interests to go their separate ways before the end of August.

Pellistri, on the rare occasions he has been given a chance at Old Trafford, has proven he has something about him. He is not afraid to take on a full-back, drive to the byline and dig out a cross. He is inventive, always trying to make something happen.

That skillset is bound to make him an attractive option for several clubs this summer. And at 22 he has time on his side to develop and improve even further.

United signed him for £9million in 2020 and they would be within their rights to anticipate making a profit on that sum, especially if he makes a name for himself at this summer’s tournament in the US. If he catches the eye, interest should increase, his value should rise and United will stand a good chance of getting him off the books, in turn giving Pellistri an opportunity to put down a marker elsewhere. It would be a win-win situation for both parties.