Manchester United are set to make up to £7.5m from Michael Keane’s transfer to Everton, per Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol.
The England international completed his move to the Toffees on Monday evening from fellow Premier League side Burnley, and the initial £25m fee could yet rise to £30m including add ons.
Sell on clause earns United portion of fee
However, because of Keane’s initial move from Old Trafford to Turf Moor in January 2015 – following a successful loan spell with the Clarets – the Red Devils are set to earn a sizeable chunk of the 24-year-old’s latest transfer fee.
It was Louis van Gaal who sanctioned the sale of Keane two and a half years ago for little over £2m, but the deal included a 25% sell on clause which the club will now benefit from.
Keane’s move to Goodison Park will equal Everton’s record fee if it does rise to £30m, although the initial £25m transfer means United are set to make a minimum of £6.25m from the deal.
The player made just one senior appearance for United in an infamous 4-0 defeat away to MK Dons in the League Cup second round under Van Gaal in August 2014.
United to hold regrets over Keane loss?
Having signed another centre-back in Victor Lindelöf from Benfica this summer, José Mourinho is unlikely to be too concerned about ‘missing out’ on Keane this time around.
However, the player’s progress since his departure is certainly something United have missed out on, the defender having developed into a fine centre-back.
Soon after his debut in that defeat to MK Dons, Keane was loaned out to Burnley and amid a defensive crisis, Van Gaal instead promoted Paddy McNair to feature in the senior set up.
McNair, who left for Sunderland last summer, did impress at first but has since seen his development stall, and there’s no question which of the two academy products United would rather return to the club now.