Chelsea could sign a Manchester United forward next summer and he is not Cristiano Ronaldo. The Blues are monitoring Marcus Rashford’s situation at United, as his contract expires at the end of this season. Rashford has long been linked with a move away from the Red Devils after a major dip in his form at the club. However, Erik ten Hag’s appointment has brought a change in fortune of the 24-year-old.
Rashford too has been anticipating an exit from his boyhood club and according to Repubblica, Chelsea could garner his interest. While he now seems to enjoy life under Ten Hag, a suitable proposal could be enough to lure him away from the club. Meanwhile, the Blues too are in search of a striker who could lead their charge, after Romelu Lukaku’s future at the club seems bleak following his return to Inter on loan and Timo Werner’s permanent sale to RB Leipzig.
Early reports suggest Rashford weighing up all options in a boost to Chelsea’s pursuit
Marcus Rashford has become a cult figure at Old Trafford after making his name coming through the club’s academy. He even lead the charge of the 20-tim Premier League winners’ at an early age of 21. Since then, Rashford has constantly been on the radars of some of the top clubs across Europe. However, a massive dip in his form post the EUROs saw him lose the charm he once possessed.
Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain even launched an offer for Rashford in the closing stages of the transfer window as was confirmed by Sky Sports. He too was studying the offer as United were ready to cash-in on him. PSG were expected to table a formal offer for the 46-time-capped England striker, but pulled out only for United to ask for a fee in the range of a whopping £100 million to £120 million.
Chelsea now fancy their chances since Rashford could be available on a free transfer next summer when his contract expires. Though United have an option of extending their academy talent’s contract by another year, it is Rashford himself who is open to try a new challenge. It has resulted in a further boost to Chelsea who are growing optimistic of acquiring his services.
Rashford has so far made 309 appearances for the Red Devils, netting an impressive 96 goals and providing 60 assists. He has also helped the club to a Europa League title, alongside a FA Cup and a Carbao Cup. However, a shoulder injury took a toll over his form last season, where he only managed 5 goals in 32 games. But come Ten Hag, and Rashford already has 5 goal contributions [3 goals and 2 assists] in 6 games.
Talking about his future at the club, the former Ajax manager had made it clear that the 2019/20 Man United player of the season is a crucial part of his plans. He had said:
“It is difficult for me to talk about the past. But what I see: I see a happy Marcus Rashford and I see some phases in his game that we could improve. It started with happiness. He is coming here every day, he really enjoys it, he’s really smiling. He has a really positive vibe and if you put all of those things together with the way of play and you want to improve different aspects of your game and you are happy, you will contribute more to the team, to the performance, to the result, and also to your development.”
Nonetheless, Chelsea reportedly are not satisfied with their options upfront with 33-year-old Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and 21-year-old academy star Armando Broja as the only strikers. With Graham Potter as the new man in charge at Stamford Bridge, the club is expected to undergo a huge overhaul, and it could well start with Rashford’s free acquisition next summer.