Rashford on PSG radar
PSG’s new head coach, Christophe Galtier, wants someone who can play on the wing or as a No 9, which is why he has targeted Rashford
Paris Saint-Germain officials met the agent of Marcus Rashford last week as they attempted to gauge whether he is willing to leave Manchester United.
At the meeting, which took place in Paris, the PSG representatives made it clear that they were interested in signing Rashford. The 24-year-old has one year left on his contract at United, which is reported to be worth £200,000 a week, but the club can extend his deal for a further season.
PSG are willing to offer Rashford a bumper contract if they can persuade him to join. They fear, however, that Rashford’s entourage are using PSG’s interest in the player to try to hurry United into giving him an improved deal at Old Trafford.
So far there has been no contact between PSG and United, and Rashford’s boyhood club are likely to reject any formal bid from the French champions as they want to keep their academy graduate.
PSG have long been admirers of the forward, who scored a late penalty to knock them out of the Champions League in the round of 16 in 2019.
This summer PSG, who have wealthy Qatari owners, considered Rashford as a replacement for Kylian Mbappé if the Frenchman were to leave for Real Madrid. Mbappé ended up staying, but PSG retained their interest in Rashford.
PSG’s new head coach, Christophe Galtier, wants someone who can play on the wing or as a No 9, which is why he has targeted Rashford, who has played across the front three for United. PSG already have Lionel Messi, Mbappé and Neymar on their books, but the latter has been linked with a move away from the club.
Arnaud Kalimuendo, the 20-year-old forward, is set to leave for Rennes and Mauro Icardi, the 29-year-old striker, is also likely to go before the window closes. Ángel Di María, the Argentina international, left PSG to join Juventus on a free transfer last month.
Rashford’s form has dipped over the past couple of years, partly due to a series of injuries but also because he was often deployed on the right wing by Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag’s predecessor.
The England forward scored five goals in 32 appearances in all competitions last season.
Rashford is said to have a good relationship with Ten Hag, who was happy with the forward’s form in pre-season.
The new United manager picked Rashford for Sunday’s season-opening 2-1 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion.
Cristiano Ronaldo did not start as he was lacking match fitness, but Ten Hag is deliberating whether to hand the Portugal captain his first start of the campaign against Brentford.
Anthony Martial, who led the attack in Ronaldo’s absence during pre-season, has not trained with the squad all week because he is still recovering from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the Brighton game.
Should Martial be declared unfit for Brentford as expected, Ten Hag could bring Ronaldo into the team, move Rashford up front, or again deploy Christian Eriksen as a false nine.
