Manchester City are on the verge of completing the sale of Brahim Diaz to Real Madrid in a deal worth up to £22m. The 19-year-old will join Madrid for an initial £15.5m fee, with a potential £6.5m following in add-ons.
The deal includes a 15 per cent sell-on fee, which rises to 40 per cent if Madrid choose to sell Brahim to another Manchester club.
While a resurgence at Oldham Athletic or Rochdale remains a chance, it’s impossible not to see the clause as specifically moving to keep a talented player out of the hands of Manchester United.
Brahim had six months remaining on his Etihad contract, after City failed in their attempts to sign him to renewed terms, and rather than lose him for nothing in the summer they chose to strike a deal with the Bernabeu club that allows him to leave this month.
The young winger was persuaded by Madrid’s promises of first-team football and head coach Santiago Solari is expected to draft his new signing into the senior squad immediately.
Pep Guardiola ultimately could not offer Brahim similar assurances on playing time.
While Phil Foden – a contemporary of Brahim’s in the City academy – is seen as a successor to the 32-year-old midfielder David Silva, Brahim’s pathway to regular first-team opportunities was blocked by younger talents like Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané.
Brahim joined City as a 14-year-old from Malaga and has been one of the success stories of City’s academy, making 15 first-team appearances.