July 18, (THEWILL) – Manchester United are nearing the departure of left-back Alex Telles, who is expected to join Saudi Pro League club, Al Nassr.
The Brazilian, who joined United from Porto in 2020, spent the previous season on loan at Sevilla after being informed by United Manager, Erik ten Hag, that he was not part of their long-term plans. United have been actively seeking a buyer since Telles’ loan spell in Spain concluded, with Ten Hag steadfast in his decision to allow the player to leave. Talks between Al Nassr and Telles have progressed, and it appears that a deal is now in advanced stages, paving the way for the 30-year-old to reunite with former United teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Although Telles was interested in returning to Brazil, particularly with Flamengo showing interest at one point, Al Nassr appear to have outpaced the competition by offering a more enticing deal with United hoping to recoup approximately €10m for a player who did not feature in their plans.
Al Nassr have been active in the transfer market this summer, bringing in Marcelo Brozovic from Inter and nearing a deal for Seko Fofana, the sought-after midfielder from Lens. Telles will join them in the Saudi Pro League, becoming the latest high-profile player to make a move to the league, which has seen an influx of talent since Ronaldo’s arrival in 2022. Several clubs, including Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, and Al Hilal, were recently taken over by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which also owns Newcastle United.
As for United, they are focused on offloading surplus squad members to generate funds for reinvestment. A deal for Andre Onana from Inter is in the final stages and an announcement is expected this week. The club also has Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund on their radar, as they look to strengthen various positions, including central midfield and central defence.
However, funds need to be raised to facilitate a move for Hojlund and other targeted reinforcements. Players such as Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire, Brandon Williams, Fred, Donny van de Beek, Scott McTominay, Anthony Elanga, and Anthony Martial are all available for transfer if the right offers come along before the closure of the transfer window.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
