Manchester United transfer news: Bebe finally leaves Old Trafford for Benfica as United make £5m loss on Portuguese striker

The Portuguese forward made just three starts in four years in Manchester

Bebe has failed to make any impact at United (GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester United have finally offloaded Bebe to Benfica after accepting a £5m loss to get the Portuguese forward off the wage bill.

Former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson famously signed the 24-year-old in 2010 without even having watched a video of him in action.

After a year on loan at Pacos de Ferreira, Bebe has now signed a permanent deal with Benfica.

The deal, rumoured to be worth just £2.4m, represents a £5m loss for United.

While that sum pales in comparison to the amounts of money which the club receives from its principal sponsors, it still reflects badly on their former transfer policy.

Now under the management of former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Louis van Gaal, the Red Devils have also negotiated a 50% sell-on fee clause should Bebe move on.

After unsuccessful loan spells with Besiktas and Rio Ave, the former Vitoria de Guimaraes striker appears to have finally found a place to settle.

On Friday evening, his new club confirmed they had sealed the deal, releasing a statement on their official website.

"Bebe has signed an agreement with SL Benfica for four years."