Marcos Rojo is heading back to Estudiantes on loan – after Manchester United failed to find a buyer for the Argentine defender.
Rojo will return to the club that launched his career until the end of the season after Old Trafford bosses were unable to broker a permanent deal for his departure.
Estudiantes’ chairman is the former United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron.
And he offered Rojo an escape route after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided the player had no future in Manchester.
Rojo, 29, still has 18 months left on his United contract – and has the option for a further season.
And the Reds may have to hand him a significant pay-off on his £100,000-a-week wages or face having him on the payroll until the summer of 2022.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave Rojo time off to broker his departure.
Signed from Sporting Lisbon for £16million in 2014, the South American spent three years with Estudiantes before moving to Europe in 2011 to join Spartak Moscow.
Meanwhile, teenage United midfielder James Garner is a loan target for Sunderland.
The 18-year-old is well thought of at Old Trafford and has made six appearances for United this season, four of them in the Europa League, one in the Premier League and one in the EFL Cup.
But he is down the pecking order with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and United feel he will best benefit by going out on a temporary switch for the remainder of the season.
Sunderland lead the chase for the player with Black Cats boss Phil Parkinson keen to strengthen in midfield.
Garner, who joined United’s academy as an eight-year-old and has progressed through the ranks, has won England caps at Under-17, 18 and 19.
