Manchester United will look to bring in funding from player sales in January and would accept a suitable offer for Marcus Rashford, although bids are more likely to come next summer.
TEAMtalk understands that United are looking to lower the average age of the squad by signing young promising players, such as Diego Leon, and offloading those who aren’t part of the club’s long-term plans.
There is an acceptance that player sales will be required for the Red Devils to return to the Champions League again and ultimately challenge for titles.
To be aggressive in the market in the short term,United will have to find fees from somewhere, especially because they are relatively tight from a Profit & Sustainability Rules perspective.
With regards toRashford, this is not a situation where he is formally transfer-listed. But given the fact he’s now 27 and United are in a strong negotiating position with him tied down to a contract until 2028, if the right offer came in, the Red Devils would seriously consider it.
His price tag will depend on a number of factors. We understand United will demand a minimum of £40-45m (€48.2-54.3m) to even consider his sale.
Contrary to reports, Rashford isn’t being forced out of the club.Amorim may have dropped him from the squad for the Manchester derby, along with Alejandro Garnacho, but the manager wants to see a reaction. Rashford has, after all, started two out of five Premier League games under Amorim, scoring three goals in the process.
Amorim is still assessing his squad and the decision to omit Rashford from the Manchester Derby is not necessarily thebeginning of the end, since United’s boss will expect to see a positive response.
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Amorim has a say on Rashford’s future
What the United hierarchy are doing is allowing Amorim to, in his own way, change the culture of the club through team selections and other means.
Amorim has the power to make both popular and unpopular decisions, even though he doesn’t have a formal recruitment veto like ex-boss Erik ten Hag. He has made it clear that if players aren’t showing the right attitude in training they won’t be selected, regardless of how big their reputation is, and the hope is this creates a feeling he is firm but fair.
Ten Hag, on the other hand, was seen as having ‘favourites’ which led some players to feel aggrieved.We understand that Rashford and Garnacho will both be given the chance to fight their way back into contention.
In terms of a potential exit for Rashford, sources say a move is more likely for him next summer rather than in January, although the latter cannot be completely ruled out if the right offer comes along.
Those close to Rashford declined to comment on his situation or future, other than to make the valid point that two players were dropped against Manchester City and perhaps Garnacho is not gleaning quite as many headlines.
Sources say that Rashford remains focused on winning over the manager and has trained in an engaged and professional manner. This isn’t the first time he’s been excluded from the squad, but this time it’s not because of off-field antics, as we have previously seen.
Rashford next move: PSG, Saudi Arabia?
Paris Saint-Germain and clubs from the Saudi Pro League have been heavily linked with Rashford in recent weeks and months.
PSG sources have played down the idea that they are actively pursuing a move for Rashford and the French giants’ representatives haven’t made contact with his entourage recently.
The Ligue 1 leaders did hold talks on at least two occasions with the Rashford camp, both before and after he signed a new deal at Old Trafford in July 2023. Both times, the French champions felt their name was being used as leverage and there are no plans to advance anything unless Rashford tells PSG he wants to leave.
Luis Campos, PSG’s sports advisor, is aware of Rashford’s situation, but if a deal is to be done with PSG, president Nasser Al-Khelaifi would ultimately lead talks as he has a positive relationship with Rashford and his camp.
Meanwhile, Saudi Pro League sides Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ittihad have previously shown interest in Rashford, too, by alerting central dealmakers. However, Saudi officials believe Rashford will not consider a move to Saudi Arabia until 2026 at the earliest as he looks to stay at Manchester United or in Europe to give himself the best chance of England selection at the World Cup.
Rashford does face a somewhat uncertain 2025 but Amorim is nonetheless planning with and not without him as he continues to judge his new squad and lay down the gauntlet to certain stars.
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