Racing Santander Set £13.7m Price Tag for Defender Jorge Salinas
Racing Santander have drawn a thick red line through Jorge Salinas’ name – and written £13.7million next to it.
The Spanish club have told Manchester United, Barcelona and anyone else circling their teenage defender that there will be no negotiation, no clever add-ons, no drawn-out haggling. Pay the release clause or walk away.
Santander slam the door on Barcelona – and send a message to United
Salinas, just 19, has moved quickly from promising academy talent to one of the most talked-about young defenders in Europe. Barcelona tested the waters with an offer a little over £5m. Santander barely blinked.
The bid was rejected almost instantly, the Catalan giants pointed straight towards the £13.7m buy-out clause written into his contract. The message was blunt enough: if Barcelona cannot get a discount, neither can United.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo report that sporting director Chema Aragon has laid down the law. Any club wanting Salinas must trigger the full clause. No exceptions. No creative accounting. As Aragon put it, “There is nothing we can do if a big star appears” – an admission that if one of Europe’s powerhouses decides to pay the fee, Santander are powerless to stop the move.
Until that moment, though, they are standing firm.
A defender built for the modern game
The determination to hold out for top dollar reflects how highly Santander rate Salinas. He has impressed not just with his composure but with a versatility that instantly catches the eye of elite recruitment teams.
He can operate as a central defender or slot in at left-back without disrupting the defensive structure. For clubs who build from the back and demand technical security under pressure, that profile is gold.
For United, the attraction is obvious. Luke Shaw remains the only natural left-back in the squad. He started every Premier League game last season, but his fitness record over the years will always make medical staff and coaches a little uneasy. Behind him, the cover is makeshift rather than specialist.
Salinas would ease that tension. He could step in for Shaw on the left or provide depth in central defence, where Lisandro Martinez has endured his own run of injuries across the last two campaigns. One signing, two positions strengthened. That is the kind of efficiency United’s recruitment department have been chasing.
A crowded shortlist – and more hard lines
Salinas is not the only name on United’s defensive radar. Lewis Hall of Newcastle United has also been tracked, but prising him out of St James’ Park looks even more complicated. Newcastle view Hall as “untouchable” and have no intention of selling this season. That is not an invitation to bid; it is a closed door.
Another option sits in Italy. Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini has long been admired by top clubs and was watched again by United scouts in Atalanta’s latest pre-season outing. Like Salinas, Scalvini can play at centre-back and left-back, and he adds another string with the ability to step into central midfield.
Chelsea are in that race as well, and Atalanta know they hold a valuable asset. Any move there would be costly and fiercely contested.
So United face a familiar dilemma. Pay a premium for a highly rated young defender now, or risk missing out and scrambling later in the window.
Midfield rebuilt, defence next?
While the backline remains a work in progress, United have been far more decisive 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 for the long term.
The links do not stop there. Aurelien Tchouameni continues to be mentioned in connection with United, as does Manu Kone of Roma, underlining the club’s intent to bulk up the centre of the pitch with power and technical quality.
But once the middle of the park is reinforced, attention has to swing fully to the defensive unit. Modern seasons are unforgiving. Multiple competitions, relentless schedules, and the constant risk of injuries expose any weakness in depth.
That is where the Salinas question becomes sharper.
Is £13.7m too steep for a 19-year-old still learning his trade, or a calculated gamble on a player whose versatility could underpin United’s defence for the next decade?
Racing Santander have made their stance crystal clear. Now the decision, and the risk, sits firmly with Manchester United.
