MARCUS RASHFORD is at the centre of a stunning swap deal involving Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
The £60million-rated Manchester United forward has snubbed three offers from Saudi Arabia — worth up to £675,000 A WEEK — because he wants to win back his England place.
Marcus Rashford is expected to leave Manchester United in the January windowPA
Victor Osimhen could be involved in a swap deal with RashfordGetty
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A move to another European club would give Rashford a platform to do that with Napoli’s former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte looking at a deal for the disillusioned star.
Under-fire United manager Ruben Amorim is desperate to strengthen this month and Conte’s interest in Rashford, 27, has opened the door to signing Osimhen.
The Nigerian — who has a £62m release clause — is on loan at Galatasaray but United could land the 26-year-old this month.
He has scored 65 goals in 108 Serie A matches for Napoli since joining from Lille in 2020.
Amorim would love to work with Sporting Lisbon forward Viktor Gyokeres again but agreed he would NOT sign players from his former club until the summer at the earliest.
The Portuguese is short of goalscorers and dropped Rashford over his “standards” for the 2-1 Premier League derby win at Manchester City on December 15.
He has not played under Amorim for five games — despite three straight league losses leaving United 14th and facing a relegation battle.
Rashford has been offered the chance to become the best-paid English player in history by clubs in Saudi Arabia more than doubling his £315,000 weekly pay packet to £675k.
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Rashford has been out of favour under manager Ruben Amorim in recent weeksGetty
That £35m-a-year offer is almost 70 per cent more than the £400,000 a week that England skipper Harry Kane, 31, earns at Bayern Munich.
Three Saudi clubs have made offers.
Catching the eye of the new England boss Thomas Tuchel is a priority for the 60-cap forward, who has not played international football since March.
Despite saying in December he is ready for “a new challenge”, it is understood he has not ruled out staying at Old Trafford where he is under contract until 2028.
The club could do with a big windfall for homegrown Rashford as they look to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules and give Amorim funds to reshape the squad.
United held interest in Osimhen last summer, while moves to Chelsea and Saudi fell through.
Why Rashford joining Arsenal is perfect fit
By Martin Lipton
MARCUS RASHFORD is at a crossroads.
But now the England star has to make the biggest choice he has ever faced – does he care about cash, or about his career?
Rashford’s shock admission that he is “ready for a new challenge” after some two decades under the Manchester United umbrella has altered the dynamic around his future.
That Rashford might not fit the blueprint of Ruben Amorim – who has now responded to Rashford’s comments – was not exactly a surprise.
The Portuguese coach prefers a 3-4-3 formation but appears to have settled on Rasmus Hojlund as his starting central striker and wants two “narrow” inside forwards, with the width coming from the wing-backs.
Rashford has always wanted to play through the middle but is often at his best exploiting spaces out wide – and that skillset does not necessarily suit the way Amorim wants to play.
Even so, going public with his evident dissatisfaction at being bombed entirely from the squad for the Manchester derby was a major move, even if he vowed there would be “no hard feelings” if he does leave his boyhood club.
In truth, Rashford has been leaving United almost from the moment he signed that new £325,000 per week contract in 2023.
Something was broken in his connection to the club. His form dropped, his threat dissipated, his issues with the hierarchy deepened.
When Erik ten Hag dropped him for hosting a birthday party after a derby defeat, and he later pulled a sickie to miss the FA Cup game with Newport, it felt even then that the writing was on the wall.
The facts suggest the love affair has ended. After scoring 30 in all competitions to earn that new deal, he has scored just 15 in the 18 months since it was signed.
Amorim’s arrival seems merely to have accelerated what was increasingly inevitable.
Now, though, it is up to Rashford to determine what his future will bring.
If it is only about the money, then his options might be somewhat limited.
It is hard to see a Prem rival coughing up the same £16.9m annual salary – although Rashford’s comments have probably knocked £20m-plus off any transfer fee, even next month.
But Real Madrid have their fill of big-money strikers and Barcelona’s budget remains restricted by La Liga financial controls.
In Europe, then, that probably leaves PSG – but a move to a one-club league.
Or, in the wider world, he could follow the likes of Ivan Toney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Firmino and Co and head to the Saudi desert.
Lucrative, yep. Certainly a different environment – and that may be exactly what Rashford both wants and needs. But the football? Not in a million years.
What Rashford needs, above all, is to be able to play for trophies and showcase his talents.
There is no better stage than the Premier League – which has far more global eyeballs on it than any other domestic competition.
And in that Premier League there is one club crying out for a goalscoring No 9, especially if he can also play down the left channel to balance out the side and widen its threat.
Rashford has always been more Longsight than London.
Yet Arsenal, and Mikel Arteta, might be the perfect fit.
The Gunners’ lack of a proper scorer is one of the major factors many fans feel has hurt their title challenge this year.
Gabriel Jesus has never been a natural finisher, while Kai Havertz is still a converted midfielder.
And while the link-up between Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka makes their right flank deadly, faith in Gabriel Martinelli on the left is waning.
There have not been too many who succeeded at Arsenal after leaving United – although Danny Welbeck was not a flop.
Rashford has all the attributes to change that history, if he can reproduce what everybody knows is inside him.
And by breaking free, giving himself the chance to start all over, Rashford can make a point to Amorim that will resonate for a very long time.
It led to him being frozen out by Conte and offloaded on loan to Turkish side Galatasaray.
Napoli are second in Serie A and Rashford’s former United team-mates Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay both play for the club.
SunSport revealed this week that Rashford is in talks with sports agency Stellar in the hope of landing a move this month.
They could work alongside Rashford’s brother Dwaine Maynard.
Bayern Munich have already turned down a deal with Rashford.
Juventus were put off by his wages and are focused on landing United striker Joshua Zirkzee on loan.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first year at Man Utd
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE’S minority takeover at Manchester United was announced on Christmas Eve in 2023 – and a lot has happened at Old Trafford since…
December 2023 – Man Utd confirm Ratcliffe’s takeover on Christmas Eve, vowing to invest £245m into Old Trafford
January 2024 – Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford photographed meeting Erik ten Hag during tour of Carrington
January 2024 – Omar Berrada poached from Man City as new CEO
February 2024 – Ratcliffe’s £1billion, 27.7 per cent takeover officially completed
February 2024 – Former CEO Richard Arnold quits board as Ineos pair John Rees and Rob Nevin added
March 2024 – Ratcliffe bans words “awesome” and “lukewarm cappuccino” in bizarre move
March 2024 – Matt Johnson appointed head of women’s football
March 2024 – Ratcliffe announces plans to build “Wembley of the North” to replace Old Trafford
March 2024 – Man Utd NYSE share price drops to $13.73 on March 21 – down from $20.52 immediately after Ratcliffe takeover in December
April 2024 – Senior staff club credit cards and private cars cancelled
April 2024 – John Murtough quits as football director
April 2024 – Jason Wilcox appointed technical director after compensation package agreed with Southampton
May 2024 – Ratcliffe turns Carrington “toxic” after sending email to employees slamming “disgraceful” lack of cleanliness
May 2024 – Work finally starts on leaking Old Trafford roof
May 2024 – Man Utd finish eighth in Premier League, worst-ever finish
May 2024 – Ratcliffe gives employees just one week to decide if they want to accept redundancy
May 2024 – Staff forced to pay for own transport to FA Cup final and only given one ticket
May 2024 – Pre-match party and hotel for senior staff before FA Cup final axed
May 2024 – Man Utd shock rivals Man City to win FA Cup despite suggestions Erik ten Hag will be sacked regardless of result
June 2024 – Man Utd announce £50m plans to upgrade Carrington training ground
June 2024 – Ratcliffe introduces strict “back to work” policy forcing staff to come into office
June 2024 – Ratcliffe scores own goal with comments about women’s team
July 2024 – Man Utd finally agree deal to bring in Dan Ashworth as sporting director after four months of gardening leave at Newcastle, who received £3m in compensation
July 2024 – Erik ten Hag signs shock new contract extension until 2026
July 2024 – Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake appointed assistant managers, Andreas Georgson first-team coach and Jelle ten Rouwelaar goalkeeper coach. Darren Fletcher’s role changes from technical director to first-team coach. Steve McClaren, Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy depart.
July 2024 – Ex-Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell joins on short-term basis as interim director of recruitment
July 2024 – Jean-Claude Blanc added to Man Utd board
July 2024 – Man Utd cut down number of staff on US pre-season tour to 125
July 2024 – Ratcliffe makes 250 redundancies including popular media man John Allen, historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex Wylie
August 2024 – Man Utd splash out £199m in the summer transfer window
August 2024 – Matchday staff lunchboxes scrapped and some forced to eat beside toilet
October 2024 – Man Utd stop paying £2m-a-year ambassador salary to Sir Alex Ferguson
October 2024 – Staff Christmas party cancelled
October 2024 – “Back to work” policy costing Utd fortune to convert hospitality suites into temporary offices between home matches
October 2024 – Erik ten Hag sacked with club 14th in Premier League table, costing club £15m
November 2024 – Ruben Amorim appointed new Man Utd manager on deal until 2027 after stumping up £10m release clause
November 2024 – Coach Ruud van Nistelrooy axed by new manager Ruben Amorim
November 2024 – Man Utd chiefs locked in blame game over summer shambles including Erik ten Hag situation and transfer signings
November 2024 – Ratcliffe reportedly set to half £40,000 budget paid to Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association
December 2024 – Ratcliffe admits “mediocre” Man Utd “still in last century”
December 2024 – Fans protest after OAP and children concessions tickets ditched and minimum home ticket cost up to £66
December 2024 – Dan Ashworth sacked after five months as sporting director
December 2024 – £100 staff Christmas bonus ditched for £40 M&S voucher
December 2024 – Ceiling starts leaking during Ruben Amorim’s press conference after 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth
December 2024 – Reports of a mice infestation at Old Trafford as rodent droppings found in food kiosks and plush suites as food hygiene ratings drops to just two stars
December 2024 – SunSport reveals Ratcliffe cuts £40,000 funding donation to Association of Former Manchester United Players charity
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