Manchester United is about to sell a second player for £8 million, potentially setting a league record! Sir Jim Ratcliffe makes pure profit by offloading young talents.

So far this summer, the only player Manchester United has managed to sell is youth defender Taylor Fredrickson, and that was to their owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's other club, Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland. Currently, a real transfer is almost done: 22-year-old Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek is nearing a deal to join Middlesbrough in the Championship.

Last season, Vitek was on loan at Bristol City in the Championship, where he swept all the club's end-of-season awards. Upon returning this summer, he expressed his desire to play first-team football for Manchester United. The club agreed to fulfil his wish, and the transfer will include a buy-back clause. Vitek will become the second player United have successfully sold, following Fredrickson.

Leicester City's signing of Mads Hermansen (£7.5 million) and Southampton's signing of Daniel Perez (£6 million) are already the most expensive goalkeeper signings in Championship history.

British media reports suggest Vitek's transfer fee could reach £8 million, setting a new record. The Red Devils will also have £2 million in add-ons, a 40% sell-on clause, or a £20 million buy-back clause.

Of course, the details of these fees have not been officially confirmed yet. Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic said: "Vitek is close to joining Middlesbrough on a permanent transfer, with negotiations including a buy-back clause and sell-on clause for Manchester United having reached an advanced stage."

The Daily Mail reports that Manchester United is satisfied with the deal, especially because of the inclusion of a buy-back clause and other favorable terms that allow them to retain some influence over Vitek's future.

In the 2024/2025 season, Vitek was loaned to Austrian club Blau-Weiß Linz, where he played in all league matches except three due to injury, and achieved great success in European competitions. Last season, he joined Bristol City and elevated his individual performance to another level. As a result, the Czech goalkeeper does not want to return to Manchester United to sit on the bench.

In Manchester United's squad, Sena Lammers is clearly the first-choice goalkeeper. Therefore, after the first pre-season friendly against Wrexham this summer, Vitek clearly stated he would leave: "I feel good, I'm ready to go again, and I hope to be number one again. We'll see what happens."

When asked whether he prefers a loan move or a permanent departure from Manchester United, Vitek said: "Honestly, I am prepared for both situations. It depends on the club's wishes and the available options. We'll see. There are already a few expressions of interest, but we hope to find the best option and get it done as soon as possible."

Middlesbrough is the first team that Manchester United manager Michael Carrick officially coached. Last season, they were eliminated by Hull City in the Championship play-off final, missing out on a return to the top flight. Now, this ambitious club aims to challenge for the Premier League again. Although the season hasn't started, Middlesbrough is already a strong promotion favorite. They have signed Will Lankshear from Tottenham for a fee of £20 million!

According to BBC's Simon Stone, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is working hard to sell academy players because all revenue from them is pure profit. Over the weekend, there were many rumors linking Ethan Wheatley with Everton. However, Everton seems to want Wheatley to join their U21 squad first, and it's unclear whether the England U20 forward is keen on this plan, having been loaned three times to League One and League Two for first-team experience.

Vitek and Wheatley are just part of the young players Manchester United is willing to sell this summer. Midfielders Toby Collyer, Dan Gore, and left-back Harry Amass are also on the list. In these transactions involving academy players, United will try to mitigate risks through sell-on clauses and buy-back clauses. These youngsters have performed well in pre-season and could potentially increase in value.