Man Utd make Rashford contract decision after ‘no steps forward’

Erik Ten Hag on Manchester United and Marcus Rashford's progression

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Manchester United are set to pause talks over Marcus Rashford’s new contract after negotiations with the forward’s representatives yielded little progress, reports say. The club have begun discussions over a new deal to tie down the England international to a long-term contract with the club, but a lack of advancement between the two parties means they will now switch their priorities elsewhere.

The 24-year-old had his contract automatically extended in December after United triggered a one-year optional clause in the five-year deal he signed back in 2018. That means his deal will now set to expire in June 2024, giving United time to assess their options over a new deal.

United want to tie down Rashford for the best years of his career after an extraordinary sesason in front of goals, having scored a career-high 26 goals in all competitions this season. They face some difficulty in achieving that, though, after implementing the ‘Ronaldo rule’.

However, a report from The Athletic claims there have been ‘no major steps forward’ after both parties agreed to open talks earlier this year.

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Further talks have been planned after their initial discussions and it is ‘mutually understood’ by each side that it is still early in the process. The report adds that all parties recognise it will be the most important decision of his career so far and he will take his time to consider his options.

Rashford is well aware that there will be interest from foreign clubs in signing him should he delay his decision to put pen to paper, with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona previously making their interest known to his agent.

The potential sale by the Glazer family, with several bidders including Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is not viewed as a factor that could complicate or delay contract talks. United are also relaxed about negotiating several contracts at once.

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But the slight snag in their attempts to lock down Rashford means United will prioritise more urgent matters such as David de Gea’s contract, which is due to expire in three months’ time.

The Spaniard, 32, is the club’s highest earner on £375,000-a-week and will need to agree a substantial pay cut to secure another deal. Erik ten Hag is keen to bring in another goalkeeper this summer after admitting he harbours concerns over De Gea’s distribution, with Brentford ace David Raya, Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak and Porto stopper Diogo Costa all linked.

But De Gea, who has kept 18 clean sheets in 42 appearances this season, wants to stay and fight for his place after spending 12 years at Old Trafford.

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