Manchester United's transfer strategy has been causing the club problems for nearly a decade now. While most will assume the failings have related to the signings made by United, the sales that have been sanctioned have been just as poor.
United are lumbered with a number of players on big contracts who they are unable to move. Paul Pogba is a prime example of someone whose sale could have generated a hefty fee, while Jesse Lingard looks set to leave on a free transfer despite the club rebuffing West Ham's approach for the England international last summer.
It is telling that selling Daniel James' move to Leeds United last summer was one of only a handful of examples since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson where the club has turned a profit on a player.
Something needs to change if United are ever going to be successful again, and the recently closed transfer window might have actually shown a step in the right direction.
Dillon Hoogewerf has impressed as part of United's development squads since he joined the club from Ajax in 2019 and so it came as something of a shock to see him move to Borussia Monchengladbach in January.
However, is it actually a smart piece of business?
Hoogewerf was well behind fellow youngster Anthony Elanga in the United pecking order, and that's before you even consider senior options like Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.
Therefore, it was unlikely he was going to get his chance to impress any time soon and his development could have suffered.
In similar situations in the past, players have been allowed to let their deals run down before leaving United on a free, meaning their careers have likely suffered having not played regular first-team football and United have missed out on a transfer fee.
Despite the fact United weren't actively looking to sell Hoogewerf, the decision to cut ties represents a step in the right direction, but the structure of the deal is also important.
Multiple clauses have been added to the deal on top of the initial fee, including a sell-on fee and a clause that would see a fee paid to United if Monchengladbach decided to loan Hoogewerf out.
There is always a danger of 'what if' when a talented youngster leaves, but that is a gamble you take in both keeping a player and moving them on.
United's academy has perhaps been guilty of living in the past and dreaming of talented starlets bursting into the first team before taking the Premier League by storm. It's time to start thinking rationally and looking at each case individually, and Hoogewerf's sale could be an indication that United are doing just that.
Are there any Manchester United academy players you think should be given a chance in the first team? Follow our United On My Mind writer Casey Evans on Twitter and get involved in the discussion in the comment section below.
