Marcos Rojo set to terminate Man Utd deal and join Argentinian giants Boca Juniors on free transfer, bringing an end to six-and-a-half-year stay at Old Trafford; Uruguayan youngster Facundo Pellistri joined from Penarol in the summer but yet to make first-team appearance
Saturday 30 January 2021 13:57, UK
Manchester United are braced for two imminent outgoings after agreeing to terminate Marcos Rojo's contract and reaching a deal for youngster Facundo Pellistri to join La Liga side Alaves on loan for the rest of the season.
United have reached an agreement with Rojo for his contract to be terminated, meaning he will be a free agent at the end of the month.
"[It is] likely that Marcos goes back to Argentina, [there is] a little bit of paperwork left to be done, I think," United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday.
The 30-year-old centre-back, who originally joined in 2014, has been in Argentina since receiving treatment there for a calf injury and is close to joining Boca Juniors having been seen training with them this week.
Rojo has not featured for United in the current campaign and made a single Premier League start last season before spending the second part on loan at Estudiantes.
He signed a new deal in March 2018 which is due to expire in the summer, but started only five Premier League games since and fell out of favour under Solskjaer.
Meanwhile, United have agreed a deal in principle with Alaves for 19-year-old Pellistri to join them on loan for the remainder of the season.
The Uruguayan is yet to make a first-team appearance for the club, having joined them from Penarol in October for £9m.
He has made two EFL Trophy appearances for the club's U21s, scoring in December's defeat by Accrington.
"There has been talks and there's been quite a few clubs interested in Facundo to go out on loan and that's maybe something we will let him do now," Solskjaer said earlier this week, when comparing Pellistri to new signing Amad Diallo.
"He's had a few games in the reserves. We want him to have regular football, of course, at a high level of course.
"With Amad, I think it's a different scenario. He's just come in, he's going through a good training regime and training programme and he's doing well. It won't be too long, I feel, before I can bring him into the squad."
Solskjaer has said he does not expect any new arrivals before the end of the transfer window, but the United boss says more fringe players could leave.
In terms of outgoings, Timothy Fosu-Mensah has already this month completed a permanent move to Bayer Leverkusen, and Jesse Lingard has passed a medical at West Ham ahead of an imminent move to the Hammers.
Goalkeeper Sergio Romero has been told his deal will not be extended beyond the summer, while homegrown full-back Brandon Williams is still being chased by Newcastle and Southampton with a loan move on the cards.
The winter transfer window is open until Monday February 1 at 11pm.
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