Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford is planning to hold off signing a new contract with the Premier League club.
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Rashford, 25, has been in sensational form for United this season, scoring 27 goals and providing nine assists in all competitions for the Red Devils.
United are understandably keen to tie the England international down to a new long-term contract, having triggered a one-year extension in his deal earlier this season to keep him at the club until at least 2024.
Negotiations have been ongoing over a new improved deal for Rashford but it has now been claimed that the striker will hold off signing a new contract at Old Trafford.
Rashford to hold off signing new Man Utd deal
The Sun claim Rashford will wait to see what happens with the sale of the club before making a final decision.
British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani are expected to submit second bids for United on Thursday after a deadline was extended at their request amid confusion on Wednesday night.
Several other parties are believed to be trying to negotiate a full sale with Raine, the investment bank conducting the sale on behalf of United’s owners – the Glazers, with others looking to secure a partial stake in the club.
Meanwhile, in an unexpected turn of events, Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus has announced he is also planning to bid for the club – if he receives financial support from United fans.
According to The Sun, Rashford will hold off signing a new deal until the ownership situation is settled.
United are keen to enforce a wage cap of around £200,000 a week per player on new deals to prevent jealously in the squad, a move dubbed the ‘Cristiano Ronaldo rule’.
Ronaldo earned around £480,000-a-week in his second spell at United, a salary far greater than any of his teammates at Old Trafford.
This rule could be scrapped if the club’s ownership changes and Rashford is said to want to wait to see what new owners, such as the Qataris, may be able to offer him.
There has also been speculation over whether Rashford will choose to remain with his boyhood club beyond next season, with French giants Paris Saint-Germain long-time admirers of the striker.
Rashford is currently enjoying some well-earned rest and recuperation during the international break after pulling out of England’s squad for their Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine through injury.
He picked up a knock in United’s recent win over Fulham but is expected to be fit for their next match against top four rivals Newcastle on April 2.
Marcus Rashford ‘should be Manchester United captain’
Football pundit and former England international, Danny Murphy, believes Marcus Rashford should be next in line to receive Manchester United captaincy.
Since returning from the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Rashford, 25 has been in fine form. Currently, the Manchester United forward has 14 Premier League goals under his belt.
He’s also scored five Europa League and Carabao Cup goals, including breaking the net against Real Betis, and a single FA Cup goal and nine assists in all competitions to add to his list of accolades.
With Harry Maguire rarely starting for Manchester United and calls for Bruno Fernandes to be stripped of the captaincy – it seems there’s no time like the present for Rashford to step up. Or so former Liverpool star Murphy, thinks.
As per his column in the Daily Mail, Murphy believes that “Rashford would be an ideal for United, considering where they are at the moment in Erik ten Hag’s team development.”
In the column, he expressed that Rashford has the chance to become, “an excellent communicator on behalf of the club.”
He continued to say that the striker is, “confident in front of the microphone and camera” and has “become an elite forward and is clearly enjoying his football.”
However, Murphy also acknowledges that it’s unlikely that Rashford will be freely handed the armband.
He believes that Fernandes, “enjoyed being asked to stand in for Maguire,” but holds firm in the idea that “Ten Hag will do what is best for the club, and has already shown he’s an excellent man manager.”
Murphy concludes his statement, saying that, “the best-case scenario for ten Hag would be for Rashford to commit to his long-term future and run out at Old Trafford in August as Manchester United’s new captain.”
However, earlier this month ten Hag dismissed the idea that he would be stripping Fernandes of the captain’s armband.
Following Manchester United’s 7-0 defeat away to Liverpool, the head coach was asked by the press if he will continue to support Fernandes as a skipper.
“Yes, definitely,” he replied. “I think [Fernandes] is having a brilliant season.”
“He is a really important reasons why we are in the position we are because he is giving energy to the team,” he continued.
“He is not only running a lot and in the highest intensity, but also in the right way, in the right direction and he is pointing and coaching players.”
So, it may be a while until we see Rashford walking out at Old Trafford as skipper.
