Following another disappointing season, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is seemingly feeling ruthless and Manchester United are now reportedly willing to show one star forward the door this summer.
Man Utd transfer news
Ratcliffe, of course, surprisingly kept hold of Erik ten Hag this summer despite initial doubts over the Dutchman’s job security even after his side defeated Manchester City to win the FA Cup at the end of the season. The same fate may not be afforded to certain struggling stars, however, with Casemiro already linked to clubs in Saudi Arabia ahead of a potential Old Trafford departure.
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The Red Devils have reportedly stepped up their efforts.
The Brazilian midfielder struggled to repeat his debut season form in the last campaign and at 32 years old may well be past his best. If the Red Devils can cash in on the former Real Madrid star, then they may not be able to resist in the coming months. Casemiro would join the likes of Raphael Varane out the door following the Frenchman’s exit at the end of the season following a two-year spell often disrupted by injuries.
It’s not the exit of Casemiro that would send shockwaves around Old Trafford, however. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Manchester United are now willing to sell Marcus Rashford this summer amid incoming interest from Paris Saint-Germain. The French champions are looking to replace Kylian Mbappe, who swapped Paris for Real Madrid, and could turn towards the United academy graduate in pursuit of that.
Earning a reported £300k-a-week at United, Rashford was one of the biggest disappointments under Ten Hag last season after such a strong campaign a year prior. Dropped from Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad as a result, the England international could now leave the Red Devils in pursuit of finding his best form once again. An academy graduate, it’s certainly not a decision that either party will make lightly.
“Strong” Rashford is at a career crossroads
Now 26 years old, Rashford should be at the top of his game but found himself at a level below his best standards at Manchester United last season. It represents an all too familiar story regarding the forward’s form, who was one of the Premier League’s standout players in the previous season before drifting through a campaign to forget last time out.
|
Marcus Rashford’s Premier League stats (via FBref) |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
35 |
33 |
|
Goals |
17 |
7 |
|
Assists |
5 |
2 |
|
Expected Goals |
15.4 |
7.4 |
As the numbers show, Rashford’s overall goals tally significantly dropped off last season and that goes hand in hand with the fact that he underperformed when it comes to expected goals, struggling to finish at times. In some contrast, he outperformed his expected goals in the season prior to score a sensational 17.
The England international showed similar form under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who praised Rashford, via BBC Sport: “That is what the Stretford End wants to see. They love to see forwards play with courage. He was mature and strong against good Premier League players. Today he played like he was in the backyard, the garden or back on the playground with his mates. He is enjoying himself.”
