Manchester United will have to pay at least £30million to land Marcel Sabitzer permanently.
That is the minimum fee Bayern Munich will now demand for the Austrian midfielder, 29, following his excellent loan spell at Old Trafford.
When Sabitzer joined United on loan in January, the Premier League club chose not to negotiate an option to buy him outright in the summer, with the deadline day move against the clock and leaving no room for error in the deal.
At that point Sabitzer was valued at £20m by German giants Bayern. But since then his price has soared thanks to consistent eye-catching displays and a key role in Erik ten Hag’s side, helping United win the Carabao Cup final in February as the Red Devils beat Newcastle United at Wembley.
Even before his first-half double in the first leg of Thursday’s Europa League last-eight clash against holders Sevilla, Sabitzer’s all-action, box-to-box style had endeared him as a favourite with United fans.
Whether his 11 appearances so far have been enough to change Ten Hag’s mind about him being an emergency replacement only – for the previously injured Christian Eriksen – is up for debate.
With Eriksen returning to the United side following the ankle injury he sustained in the FA Cup win over Reading back in January, time will tell whether Sabitzer has done enough to convince Ten Hag to keep him in the side ahead of the Denmark international, and potentially make a permanent swoop over the coming months.
But even if the Reds’ Dutch boss decides against making the move long-term, Bayern expect plenty of interest from other clubs in the Premier League.
Aston Villa, West Ham and Tottenham are among those who have noted how easily Sabitzer has taken to the relentless pace of the English elite – and are monitoring the situation ahead of the transfer window.
