Man Utd have announced Borussia Monchengladbach have succeeded in signing Dillon Hoogewerf, and the finer details of the move suggest United were unsure about the deal.

The 18-year-old Dutchman moved to Old Trafford from Ajax in 2019. Predominantly a right winger, Hoogewerf had operated in the Premier League 2 this season with United’s Under-23s.

However, Bundesliga clubs have often looked to poach the best and brightest within the English game.

Indeed, Borussia Dortmund reaped the rewards in some style when snatching Jadon Sancho from Man City in 2017 and Jude Bellingham from Birmingham City in 2020.

Now, per United’s official website, Monchengladbach have walked that same path by signing Hoogewerf.

The move was presumably agreed prior to Monday’s deadline and has now been officially confirmed after receiving international clearance. The United statement described the move as a ‘permanent’ one.

Man Utd add key clauses

ESPN’s Rob Dawson, as well as the Manchester Evening News, shed further light on the switch.

Dawson stated United have received an ‘undisclosed fee’, and have included multiple clauses into the deal.

The Red Devils have negotiated a sell-on clause, along with receiving a fee if Monchengladbach loan Hoogewerf out in the future.

That was backed up by the MEN, though their report stated United weren’t actively looking to sell Hoogewerf.

However, the club has an embarrassment of riches in the forward ranks. As such, the teenager’s chances of penetrating the first eleven any time soon were extremely slim.

Accordingly, Man Utd agreed to facilitate a move when Monchengladbach came calling.

Reason why Leeds snubbed Man Utd deal revealed

Meanwhile, Leeds Utd snubbed the chance to sign players from Man Utd and Tottenham in January, and Marcelo Bielsa’s thinking behind the lack of action has emerged, per a report.

Kalvin Phillips and Adam Forshaw have been Bielsa’s main lieutenants in the engine room this season. But with Phillips out until March with a hamstring injury, depth is perilously thin at present.

RB Salzburg’s Brenden Aaronson emerged as their main target. However, the Austrians stood firm, leaving Leeds empty-handed when the window slammed shut.

The loan market could’ve provided a temporary solution to Bielsa’s woes. And per the Yorkshire Post, Leeds had the opportunity to sign Man Utd’s Donny Van de Beek and Tottenham’s Harry Winks.

The outlet state Leeds Utd were ‘offered’ both moves, though neither would move to Elland Road. Instead, Van de Beek signed on loan under Frank Lampard at Everton. Winks remained in north London.

The article alludes to the reason why Leeds opted against adding to their squad at a time when their relegation rivals – Newcastle especially – all strengthened.

They state Bielsa was ‘adamant’ that new signings would not be made unless they were improvements on what he already had. In other words, the Argentine only wanted regular starters, and was uninterested in adding depth pieces.

Leeds have invested heavily since their return to the Premier League. Indeed, they have plundered around £140m into new signings – a figure that puts them well within the top half in spending over the last 18 months. As such, Bielsa did not want to burden the club’s financial department further with options he did not deem a necessity.

Source: Teamtalk.com