Man Utd target refused to join due to 'disrespectful' clause club wanted to insert into his contract

A Manchester United transfer target refused to join the club after he objected to a 'disrespectful' clause which the club wanted to insert into his contract.

United have already made moves in this summer's transfer window, bringing in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, while more additions are expected.

But despite their big spending in the market over the past decade, they have been notoriously poor, with Bruno Fernandes arguably the only outright success.

One player who has been repeatedly linked with a move to Old Trafford is French midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

He came closest to Old Trafford back in 2022, with Manchester United even reaching an agreement of £15m with his club Juventus.

But the deal collapsed due to his high wage demands.

One person who was criticised for their part in the deal collapsing was Rabiot's mother and agent Veronique, who was accused of being too greedy.

Adrien Rabiot. Image: Eurasia Sport Images / Contributor via Getty

In an interview with L'Equipe she said: "That, too, is completely false. That year, Adrien was ready to leave Juve, who had qualified for the Champions League, for Manchester United, who hadn’t.

“We discussed the terms, and in the end, they said to me: ‘If we don’t qualify for the Champions League at the end of next season, Adrien’s salary will go down.’

"I found that really over the top and very disrespectful.

“I said, ‘We’re stopping’. They thought it was a strategy to get more money.

"But no, it was a matter of principle, not money. Obviously, it surprised them. They’re not used to it.”

Although the clause caused frustration, it is standard within United's contracts.

Marseille's Adrien Rabiot. Image: Jean Catuffe / Contributor via Getty

Most players face a 25% pay cut if the team fail to qualify for the Champions League, which the club sees as necessary to offset the major loss in revenue.

After their defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in last season's Europa League final, they failed to qualify for Europe's premier club competition for a second successive season.

Therefore, United will miss out on a minimum of £85m, including a starting fee of £15.7m.

Given the huge capacity of Old Trafford, the loss of at least four home games is also hugely costly, as it can bring in £5m for a home European game.

United also received a £10m penalty in their kit deal with Adidas for missing out.

Meanwhile, Rabiot now plays for Marseille in France, where he played a key role where as they finished second in Ligue 1 last year.

Their league finish ensured qualification for next season's Champions League.