Dundee United will bank a windfall of more than £500,000 after Aziz Behich landed a stunning switch to Saudi big spenders Al-Nassr.
Courier Sport has learned that United inserted a 50% sell-on clause when they sold the Australia international to Melbourne City for a five-figure fee last summer.
While that may have seemed like a fanciful prospect for a player in the autumn of his career, it has paid dividends following Behich’s eye-catching move.
The 33-year-old joined Al-Nassr from City on deadline day, linking up with Cristiano Ronaldo and fellow superstars Marcelo Brozovic and Sadio Mane in Riyadh.
Although the move is a loan deal, Al-Nassr are understood to have paid an up-front fee in the region of AU$2 million (slightly more than £1 million).
And as loans still count as a transfer of registration, United are eligible to claim their cut.
The news will come as a massive fillip to the second-tier leaders as they continue to mitigate the financial repercussions of relegation to the Championship, allied with the overspend which saw the club make a £2.8 million loss in 2022/23.
Another Behich boost
It is not the first time Behich’s efforts have boosted the Terrors’ bank balance.
The club earned £186,000 following his participation alongside Wales’ Dylan Levitt at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, during which the Socceroos reached the last-16 before exiting to eventual winners Argentina.
Behich joined United last July after leaving Turkish outfit Giresunspor.
While unable to save the Tangerines from the drop, he was a solid Premiership performer and scored four goals in 36 appearances.
He has also turned out for Bursaspor, Istanbul Basaksehir, Kayserispor, Melbourne Heart, PSV Eindhoven and been capped 68 times for his country.
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