Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is reportedly attracting attention from the Saudi Pro League, with the Englishman expected to be offered the chance to make a lucrative switch to one of the country’s top clubs.
The 27-year-old’s future has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, and he was left out of the Man United squad for last weekend’s Manchester derby due to underwhelming performances on the training field.
Rashford told journalist Henry Winter on Tuesday that he is looking to leave Man United, and it is understood that he is not in the squad for Thursday’s EFL Cup quarter-final against Tottenham Hotspur.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim insisted that he wants to keep hold of Rashford, who has a contract at Old Trafford until June 2028.
However, the 20-time English champions are believed to be working towards an exit, with a number of major European clubs said to be keeping a close eye on the developments surrounding the forward.
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Rashford ‘to be offered Saudi Pro League move’
Atletico Madrid are currently being linked with a loan move for Rashford, with Diego Simeone‘s side believed to be keen to discuss taking the forward for the second half of the 2024-25 campaign, while Paris Saint-Germain are long-term admirers.
A permanent move to a European club in January will be complicated due to Rashford’s substantial wages, so a loan exit is the most likely outcome in the winter market, but there has also been suggestions of interest from Saudi Arabia.
According to The Telegraph, the Saudi Pro League is a genuine option for Rashford, with the four clubs owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund – Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli – likely to be in the running for him.
The report claims that newly-promoted Al-Qadsiah are also keeping a close eye on the situation, as the forward considers all avenues open to him at this stage of the season.
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Could Rashford leave European football behind at this stage of his career?
During his interview with Winter, Rashford spoke about his desire to earn a recall to the England squad under Thomas Tuchel.
“[The World Cup] still excites me. It’s playing for your country in the biggest competition in the world. I’ve had the chance to do it before (Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022) and it’s an unbelievable experience. If I got the opportunity again, I’ll try and grab it with both hands,” he said on Tuesday.
Rashford has not played for England since March and was not in the squad for Euro 2024; Tuchel will have his own views on the group of players available to him, but it would be a surprise to see the German select Rashford if he was playing in the Saudi Pro League rather than a top European division.
Man United are believed to be willing to let him leave for as little as £40m in January, with that money going a long way due to his status as a homegrown player, but it is thought that he is reluctant to quit European football, suggesting that a loan exit in January with a view to a permanent transfer next summer could be agreed.
