Manchester United have received a small financial boost following Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League due to a clause in the deal which saw Hannibal Mejbri swap Old Trafford for Turf Moor last year.
Mejbri, 22, brought an end to a five-year career in Manchester last summer when he joined Burnley in a £9.5 million move, having initially joined the Red Devils from Monaco in 2019.
The Tunisian midfielder was one of the most highly-rated prospects in the United academy with widespread hope at the club he would establish himself as a permanent member of the first-team.
However, Mejbri failed to build on an impressive start to the 2023/24 season under Erik ten Hag and fell down the pecking order under the Dutchman, eventually joining Sevilla on loan in January for the second half of the campaign.
And as INEOS implemented a comprehensive overhaul of a bloated senior squad in the summer, United and Mejbri both decided a fresh chapter was the correct step for the 22-year-old’s career, with Burnley moving quickly to offer a permanent exit.
A 50% sell-on clause was stipulated in the deal, as has become standard practice for any young players departing Old Trafford in recent years.
But an additional clause was also included, entitling United to an additional payment should Burnley gain promotion back into the Premier League, having been relegated the previous year.
And with the Clarets’ crucial 2-1 victory over Sheffield United last night, they clinched automatic promotion – along with Leeds United – as they moved eight points clear of the Blades with only two games of the season remaining.
Mejbri has played a “key role” in this successful promotion push for Scott Parker’s side, playing 35 times for Burnley, scoring once and providing three assists.
His trademark hard-running style and relentless pressing has helped Parker establish one of the most defensively strong units in all of Europe, with Burnley having lost only two times and conceded just 15 goals – a truly staggering feat across 44 games.
Executives at Turf Moor will be more than happy the clause in Mejbri’s contract has been triggered as it constitutes a successful transfer and even more successful season for the club.
Man Utd benefit from six-figure sum re Burnley promotion as a result of clause in Hannibal Mejbri transfer.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) April 22, 2025
Tweet: “Man Utd benefit from six-figure sum re Burnley promotion as a result of clause in Hannibal Mejbri transfer.”
BBC Sport reporter Simon Stone reveals United will receive a “six-figure sum” due to this clause, though he does not specify the exact amount, which could range from £100,000 to just under a million.
But with the economic situation at Old Trafford a fraught one, any additional income is welcome with INEOS seeking to arm Ruben Amorim with a significant war chest this summer, despite the club’s limited finances.
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
