Sir Jim Ratcliffe is understood to have confirmed to Marcus Rashford that he will be allowed to leave Manchester United for the right price in the January window after a report underlined the British billionaire’s wishes for a ‘cultural reboot’ at Old Trafford – while Arsenal and PSG’s chances of signing the star in January have also come to light.
The Red Devils are bouncing after securing a famous 2-1 come-from-behind win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with the victory secured by an 88th-minute penalty equaliser from Bruno Fernandes before a brilliantly-taken winner from Amad Diallo two minutes later. However, the joy that has arisen off the back of that last-gasp turnaround at their noisy neighbours has been somewhat overshadowed by speculation over Rashford’s future, which has been plunged into uncertainty after being excluded from the Manchester United matchday squad.
And according to a bombshell update from Sky Sports on Monday evening, new boss Ruben Amorim has been left frustrated by two Rashford failings, while also having been told he’s reached the end of the road at Old Trafford.
TEAMtalk has long reported that United have been willing to listen to offers for the 27-year-old – a stance we repeated in the wake of Sunday’s omission – and now that claim has been backed up by The Guardian, who claim that Rashford ‘has been marginalised and put up for sale by Man Utd as part of a cultural reboot deemed necessary to transform the club’s standards’ set by minority shareholder Ratcliffe.
Furthermore, they state Ratcliffe wants to ‘raise the standards and improve discipline at Old Trafford’ and selling Rashford is viewed as a way to do so.
Quite where the player will end up, if anywhere, in the January window remains to be seen but one potential suitor in Arsenal have now been seemingly ruled out the running.
Explaining their stance, Gunners expert Watts wrote in his column forCaught Offside: ‘Marcus Rashford’s name always seems to pop up when it comes to Arsenal these days.
‘He always seems to be part of the conversation, certainly amongst fans anyway, and that might be the case again as we head towards January given what’s going on with him at Manchester United at the moment.
‘Do I think he could be an opportunity for Arsenal? I don’t think so to be honest. I’m just not sure he’s what they need.’
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Watts believes the Rashford from two years ago might have interested Arsenal, but any move now would be fraught with risks and would be a move Mikel Arteta would be unlikely to sanction.
‘If he was still the Rashford of a couple of years ago then my thoughts would be different. But if that was the case then he would be playing week in, week out for United right now.
‘But he’s not and there’s a reason for that. So if Arsenal, or anyone else, were to move for him in January then they would be doing so in the hope that he could rediscover his best form again.
‘It would just be a bit of a gamble. Similar to what Arsenal did with Raheem Sterling in the summer and that’s certainly not been a gamble that has paid off. Rashford would be a far more expensive one as well.
‘I do think that Arsenal have to pull something out of the bag in January. It’s clear they need at least one other viable option in the final third, even if it’s a loan deal to get them through to the summer when they can really push for their main targets.
‘This season has shown they need more. It felt in the summer that they had left themselves at least one attacker short and that was with Sterling’s late loan move factored in.
‘The fact that Sterling doesn’t even seem to be considered for minutes now, even when the team is desperately in need of a goal, really shows that the squad is probably two attacking players short in terms of where it needs to be.
‘So January does feel crucial for Arsenal and their ambitions over the second half of the season. It won’t be easy to find what’s needed, but they have to give it a good go.’
PSG have also been linked with a move for Rashford, though respected journalist Ben Jacobs told TEAMtalk on Tuesday that the French club were not currently looking into his signing.
Those thoughts have since been echoed by Graeme Bailey with the transfer journalist explaining to United In Focus: “I am told Marcus Rashford is not the kind of player PSG are pursuing. He does not fit into the current strategy Luis Campos is leading at the club.”
Latest Man Utd transfer news: Maguire U-turn; Onana replacement eyed
Meanwhile, one man who has also appeared destined to leave Old Trafford,Harry Maguire, now appears to be set for a remarkable U-turn after a big change of heart by Amorim, sources have revealed to us.
Maguire’s deal at United expires this summer and, after falling down the pecking order under Ten Hag, the England man had looked set to depart in 2025.
However, we understand the United boss is now keen to offer the player a new deal after being left impressed by his work ethic and defensive characteristics.
Elsewhere, a bombshell report claims time could soon be up for Andre Onana, with Amorim having apparently lost patience with him having targeted a Ligue 1 star as his replacement and having wooed him by offering him a guaranteed starting place.
And finally, any hopes United may have had of signing an elite AC Milan defensive star appear to be over following a big statement of intent from the player’s agent.
A fading force? Rashford’s goals and assists for Man Utd over the years
Rashford stats