With United covering the majority of Nani’s salary – one of the highest at the Premier League club – the deal is something of a triumph for Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho. He had refused to accept United’s initial €20m offer for Rojo, drawing the ire of both the player and Doyen Sports, an investment fund who own 75 per cent of the Argentine’s economic rights. With Sporting contractually obliged to pay 20% of any fee over €5m for Rojo to his former club Spartak Moscow, and 75% of the income going to Doyen, a €20m sale would have effectively seen the World Cup finalist leave for free.
