Rashford joins top earners in four-year deal
United striker may earn over £300,000 a week Inter expected to make approach for Lukaku
Manchester United may announce that Marcus Rashford has signed a new contract as early as today.
The England striker has signed a four-year deal that will commit him to Old Trafford until June 2023, although it includes the option of a fifth year. The contract is understood to be heavily incentivised.
If Rashford meets all of his performance-related targets and United deliver on the pitch, it could be worth more than £300,000 a week and put the 21-year-old at the top end of United’s pay scale, on similar money to Paul Pogba, but behind the highest earner, Alexis Sanchez.
Rashford has been linked with Barcelona and other high-profile European clubs, but sees his future at Old Trafford, which is a lift for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who plans to build his attack around the academy graduate.
United intend to announce Rashford’s contract before they fly to Australia next Monday for the start of their pre-season tour, maybe as early as today. Having been usurped by Rashford as United’s first-choice centre-forward, Romelu Lukaku is hoping to secure a move to Inter Milan. Inter are due to make an initial offer this week, whereby they propose loaning Lukaku for two seasons for around £9 million before signing him for a further £53.7million. That is expected to be rejected by United, but could mark the start of a negotiation process.
United’s squad are due to report for pre-season training today, with Solskjaer and his staff having designed a programme intended to improve fitness levels significantly. Last season, Solskjaer was concerned United’s players were not fit enough to play the attacking, frontfoot football they want. Rashford is due to join up with the squad later in the week.
Aaron Wan-bissaka, whose £50million move from Crystal Palace was announced on Saturday, has been given a short holiday after playing for England at the European Under-21 Championship, but the right-back will be part of the tour squad. Wan-bissaka’s arrival has triggered rumours that United would be prepared to let another young right-back, Diogo Dalot, leave but well-placed club sources have dismissed that suggestion. United are expected to step up their efforts to sign a midfielder this week, with Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff and Bruno Fernandes, of Sporting Lisbon, among the targets. Solskjaer is also likely to have talks with Pogba following his admission that he would like to move. Real Madrid and Juventus are interested, but consider United’s £160 million valuation too high.