Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has said he was not surprised when Manchester United decided to sell promising midfielder Isak Hansen-Aaroen to Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen. He said it was natural for the Red Devils to cash in on the player, adding they still had some control over his future due to matching rights.

Fabrizio Romano Not Surprised With Manchester United’s Hansen-Aaroen Decision

On February 2, the deadline day of the 2023-24 winter transfer window, Manchester United sold Hansen-Aaroen to Werder Bremen for €250,000 ($268,740). The move came as a shock to many, who expected the 19-year-old attacking midfielder to break into the first team under manager Erik ten Hag.

Romano, however, thinks it was not a surprise decision by the Red Devils, as almost all major clubs tend to generate funds the same way. In his Daily Briefing column for CaughtOffside, the Italian journalist said:

“Some Man United fans were a bit surprised to see Isak Hansen-Aaroen leave without getting more of a chance in the first-team, but I wasn’t really surprised as we saw that United, like other clubs, were ready to cash in on young players.”

Romano, however, gave fans a glimmer of hope, revealing Manchester United had reserved matching rights for the Norwegian, suggesting the club could bring him back to Old Trafford if they wanted in the future.

He added:

“Also, it’s important to clarify that Man United have matching rights for the future potential move of Hansen-Aaroen, so they can keep some kind of control on the player.”

To activate the matching rights clause, United will have to match the other club’s offer for Hansen-Aaroen. If they cannot, Werder Bremen are free to accept the higher offer.

Who Is Isak Hansen-Aaroen & Why Did He Leave

Hansen-Aaroen was a member of Manchester United’s U21 side before he switched over to Werder Bremen. He joined United’s U18 side from Tromso for an undisclosed fee in September 2020. After a couple of years with the U18s, he earned promotion to the U21 team.

In the U18 Premier League, Hansen-Aaroen played a total of 23 games, scoring thrice and providing three assists. Meanwhile, in Premier League 2, he scored five times in 43 appearances.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Hansen-Aaroen was disappointed after Ten Hag did not name him for the FA Cup Third Round meeting with Wigan Athletic, even though he trained all week with the first team. United were reportedly eager to keep him at the club and even tabled a four-year deal for him, but he was not happy with the wages on offer and felt he might not get minutes with the first team.

At Werder Bremen, he is turning over a new leaf. It will be interesting to see if he can finally win the minutes he so clearly craves and becomes a first-teamer under Ole Werner.