Racing Santander Firm on Jorge Salinas’ £13.7m Release Clause
Racing Santander have drawn a thick red line through Jorge Salinas’ name – and written a price next to it.
Manchester United’s latest defensive target will only leave if his £13.7million release clause is met in full. No discounts. No instalment games. No negotiation.
The 19-year-old has surged onto the radar of Europe’s elite this summer, his reputation growing with every composed performance across the back line. United are watching. So are Barcelona. One of them has already tested Santander’s resolve – and been sent away.
Barca are said to have lodged an offer just north of £5m, an opening bid that barely reached halfway to the clause. Racing’s response was swift and cold. The proposal was rejected, and the Catalan club were pointed straight back to the figure written into Salinas’ contract.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, sporting director Chema Aragon has been unwavering in his stance: any club wanting Salinas must pay the full £13.7m or walk away. He has acknowledged that if a “big star” suitor arrives and triggers the clause, Santander are powerless. Until then, the message is simple – no one is picking off their prize asset on the cheap.
It is easy to see why they are digging in. Salinas has impressed not just with his maturity, but with the kind of versatility modern coaches crave. He can operate as a central defender or slot in at left-back, switching roles without a drop in level. That blend of composure, mobility and flexibility is exactly what has drawn United’s eye.
Fit at Old Trafford
At Old Trafford, the fit is obvious. Luke Shaw remains the club’s only natural left-back, an ever-reliable performer when available but a player whose injury history still hangs over any long-term planning. Behind him, the options are makeshift, not specialist.
Salinas would change that picture. He could offer direct cover for Shaw while also providing depth at centre-back, where Lisandro Martinez has endured his own frustrating run of injuries over the last two seasons. One signing, two problem areas eased.
United’s recruitment team have cast the net wide in that search for defensive balance. Lewis Hall of Newcastle United is another name under consideration, though any move there looks far more complicated. Newcastle have made it clear Hall is “untouchable” this season, a core part of their plans rather than a player to cash in on.
Giorgio Scalvini at Atalanta is another option on the list. Like Salinas, he can play at centre-back and left-back, and he adds another string with the ability to step into central midfield. That profile has attracted interest from Chelsea as well, and United scouts have already watched him in Atalanta’s most recent pre-season outing.
While the club weigh up their defensive options, the bulk of their business so far has been in midfield. Youri Tielemans has arrived from Aston Villa, bringing Premier League know-how and passing range. Andrey Santos has joined from Chelsea, adding energy and potential in the centre of the pitch.
The links keep coming. Aurelien Tchouameni continues to be mentioned in connection with United, as does Manu Kone of Roma, as the club look to reshape the heart of their team for the long term.
But the defensive question will not go away. United know they need more security and more depth at the back if they are to avoid another season of patchwork line-ups and square pegs in round holes.
For now, the situation is brutally clear. If they decide Jorge Salinas is the answer, they will have to prove it the only way Racing Santander will listen – by paying every last pound of that £13.7m clause.
