Revealed: Erik ten Hag's key role in Man Utd shipping out more academy graduates and what it means for club's transfer business as Alvaro Fernandez makes Benfica move

Spanish left-back Fernandez, who joined United's academy in 2020 and was part of their FA Youth Cup-winning side in 2022, has joined Benfica on loan until the end of the season after a disappointing spell on loan at Granada. The agreement contains an obligation for Benfica to sign Fernandez for €6m, plus €3m in add-ons if he starts at least half of matches until the end of the season. There is also an option to buy if he starts fewer matches. The deal follows Hannibal Mejbri joining Sevilla on loan for the rest of the campaign, with the Liga side having an option to buy the Tunisia midfielder for £14m ($17m) plus £3m in add-ons.

GOAL understands that Ten Hag, who has successfully integrated Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo into the first team, has higher demands on young players than his predecessors and wants youngsters to truly earn their place in his side. The moves for Fernandez and Hannibal demonstrate a greater willingness from United than in the past to let graduates leave while still developing. There is also a recognition that not every graduate will become a first-team regular, with the role of the academy also to raise revenue for the club to help alleviate financial fair play pressure and reinvest in the squad. United have built lots of protections and optionality into recent deals, including buybacks at attractive fixed fees and sell-on clauses so that the club benefits when an a graduate thrives at another club.

United earned €41m (£35m/$44m) last summer from sales of academy players Dean Henderson, Anthony Elanga, Matej Kovar and Zidane Iqbal, plus €20m the previous year from James Garner and Andreas Pereira. But their income from the academy pales in comparison to neighbours Manchester City, who have earned £260m ($324m) from selling youngsters in the last summer, while in the last year they pocketed £156m ($194m).

Ten Hag's side are in the middle of a two-week break from matches but are continuing to train at Carrington. Their next game is an FA Cup fourth round tie against League Two side Newport County, which could be a chance for other youngsters such as Dan Gore and Shola Shoretire to get some minutes.