Alvaro Fernandez secures loan move

After a promising summer with United's senior squad, the 20-year-old spent the first half of the campaign at La Liga outfit Granada CF, making 13 appearances in all competitions.

He was recalled earlier this month and will now see out 2023/24 with the Primeira Liga champions, who are bidding to win a record-extending 39th top-flight crown.

Benfica are currently a point behind city rivals Sporting Club at the summit of the Portuguese table and have a familiar face in their ranks, in one-time United winger Angel Di Maria.

They also have Europa League participation to look forward to, having been eliminated from their Champions League group in December.

French side Toulouse will be their opponents in the competition's two-legged play-off round.

Alvaro signed for the Reds from Real Madrid in 2020 and, after two seasons of regular football in our youth teams, won the Denzil Haroun Reserve-Team Player of the Year award for 2021/22.

This will be his third stint away from the club, following a fruitful campaign on loan at Preston North End. Fernandez appeared 42 times for the Deepdale club as they finished 12th in the Championship during 2022/23.

Although he is yet to play a competitive first-team game for us, Alvaro started four of United's pre-season games, setting up Marc Jurado's goal in the friendly against Wrexham in San Diego.

This will be another valuable opportunity for Fernandez to get senior experience under his belt and we wish him the best of luck at the Estadio da Luz.