Burnley chief operating officer Matt Williams revealed that his club turned down the opportunity to sign fullback Sergio Reguilon just three days before he joined Manchester United on loan before the transfer deadline.
According to The Sun, Reguilon had been offered to Burnley by Tottenham Hotspur, with Clarets manager Vincent Kompany keen to sign a left-back before the transfer window shutting down.
This came after Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen, who had spent the previous season on loan at Burnley, decided to return to Stamford Bridge rather than make a permanent move to Turf Moor.
While Burnley considered replacing Maatsen with Reguilon, the club decided to give up their pursuit of the Spanish left-back due to financial constraints.
“It was a business decision that we didn’t sign him – salaries, loan fees etc,” Burnley chief operating officer Matt Williams explained.
Burnley’s decision to give up on their pursuit of the 26-year-old worked in United’s favour, with the club desperately in need of a new left-back following the medium-term injuries of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
For United, the decision to sign Reguilon on a loan deal proved to be a prudent decision both in terms of finances and footballing-wise.
While the Red Devils had their sights set on Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, a £7 million loan fee was attached to him, making him an unappealing choice economically despite Erik ten Hag believing he would “suit United’s style of play.”
Reguilon, on the other hand, came with no loan fee – just the requirement to pay the player’s wages.
By spending less money on their loan deal, United had more funds available to secure the €10 million loan signing of midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.
For Reguilon, the move to Old Trafford is an opportunity for the Spaniard to revive his career.
The 26-year-old revealed that United legend David de Gea played a major part in stoking his desire to join the club.
“I spoke a lot with David and he told me about the club. He told me you are coming to the best club in England,” Reguilon revealed.
With fellow newcomer Amrabat is expected to start for United against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, Reguilon will also be hoping to make his debut in front of the Old Trafford crowd sooner rather than later.