Racing Santander Sets £13.7m Price for 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 discount, no negotiation and no clever instalment plan. Pay the release clause, or look elsewhere.
Santander slam the door on cut‑price deal
Salinas, just 19, has forced his way onto the radar of some of Europe’s biggest clubs after a rapid rise in Spain. Barcelona tested the water with an offer a little over £5m. The response from Santander was instant and emphatic: rejected, and pointed straight back to the buy-out figure in his contract.
The same message awaits United if they firm up their interest with anything below £13.7m. According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, sporting director Chema Aragon has been crystal clear – the clause is the clause. Either a club triggers it in full or they walk away.
He did concede one thing: “There is nothing we can do if a big star appears.” In other words, if a heavyweight meets the number, Santander will be powerless to keep their prize asset.
Until then, they are holding their ground.
Versatility that makes elite clubs take notice
Salinas has not just caught the eye because of his age. It is the way he can shape a back line. Comfortable as a central defender and equally at home at left-back, he offers the kind of flexibility that modern coaches crave.
For United, that profile hits a very specific nerve.
Luke Shaw remains the club’s only specialist left-back. He started every Premier League game last season, but his injury record still lingers in the background as a nagging concern. Behind him, the cover is patched together rather than purpose-built.
Salinas would change that picture. He could slot in as direct competition and cover for Shaw, while also providing an extra option in the heart of defence. That matters when Lisandro Martinez has endured his own stop-start spells over the last two campaigns.
United have been linked with Lewis Hall at Newcastle as another solution on that flank. Yet the message from St James’ Park has been every bit as firm as Santander’s: Hall is “untouchable” this season. No sale. No debate.
So the search continues.
Scalvini, Salinas and a reshaped United spine
Another name on United’s list is Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini, a player whose versatility almost mirrors Salinas’. Scalvini can operate at centre-back, at left-back and even in central midfield, a rare blend that has already drawn serious attention from Chelsea.
United scouts watched the Italian during Atalanta’s most recent pre-season outing, a clear sign that the recruitment team are widening their options as they weigh up how best to reinforce the squad.
It fits a broader pattern. United’s summer business has leaned heavily towards strengthening the middle of the pitch. Youri Tielemans has arrived from Aston Villa and Andrey Santos from Chelsea, two signings aimed at adding legs and control to the engine room.
Links to Aurelien Tchouameni and Manu Kone of Roma underline that the midfield rebuild is far from finished. But the more United invest there, the more the imbalance at left-back and in defensive depth stands out.
That is where Salinas and Scalvini come back into sharp focus.
A clear price for potential
Racing Santander know exactly what they have. A 19-year-old defender, already trusted, already versatile, already drawing offers from Barcelona and interest from Manchester United. They also know the market. Young, multi-functional defenders at this level do not come cheap.
So they have planted their flag at £13.7m and refused to budge.
For United, the question is simple and unavoidable: is that the price of a luxury, or the cost of solving a problem that could define their season when the injuries inevitably bite again?
