Marcus Rashford held talks with PSG but Man Utd are confident over new deal
Manchester United view Marcus Rashford as integral to everything they are building under Erik ten Hag, who recently confirmed getting the England forward to extend is a “priority”. Rashford is the top scorer in Europe’s big five leagues since the World Cup with 16 goals – six more than Erling Haaland.
Talks have already started on a new long-term deal and Manchester United are much calmer about the situation than over the summer. Back then Rashford was a bit more unsettled, coming off the back of a season where he scored just four Premier League goals.
Rashford met with PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi over the summer and the French champions retain an interest. But even then PSG always felt staying at Old Trafford was Rashford’s preference and were fearful they were being used as leverage.
On this form, Rashford could have his pick of clubs, but I am told he wants to stay at Manchester United. It’s a bit like the Harry Kane situation: the desire is to extend but there’s an element of watching how the project develops, too. That’s why Manchester United’s form, and recovery after their poor start to the season, has been so important.
Rashford is thriving under Ten Hag and if Manchester United qualify for the Champions League, which is looking very likely, he has absolutely no reason to leave.
No deal is imminent right now but more talks will take place over the coming months and it wouldn’t surprise me if things move quite quickly. Manchester United won’t create uncertainty, or delay, just because a new owner might be incoming. The budget is there now to proceed.
Furthermore, both Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe view keeping Rashford as essential. It was the same with Todd Boehly and Reece James. Even before the American came in at Chelsea, he knew renewing James was vital.
A lot may change if Manchester United get new outright owners, but one constant is both the Glazers and the two bidders to go public know extending Rashford’s contract and building a team around him is paramount.
Sources close to Sheikh Jassim have also stressed the importance of investing in youth, and Rashford’s rise from Manchester United’s academy is seen as something they want to make more commonplace, just like when the so-called Class of ’92 thrived.
Meanwhile, Ratcliffe says he’s keen to put “the Manchester back into Manchester United”. Manchester-born Rashford is not a player Ratcliffe will want to lose at any price. Whereas Rashford has been happy to listen to offers, a normal thing given his contract runs out in summer 2024, Manchester United, and even rival suitors, feel he is not only intent to stay but even go on and break Wayne Rooney’s goalscoring record at the club. He is obviously somewhat off that tally of 253 goals with 117 to date, but on this goalscoring form, and with a new long-term deal, it’s not an impossible milestone.
Graham Potter is under pressure but there’s no mutiny against the manager
Chelsea have a big few weeks ahead with an away trip to Tottenham, home game against Leeds and then the second-leg of their Champions League tie with Dortmund where they must overturn a 1-0 deficit.
There is clearly pressure on Graham Potter, especially after the 1-0 loss to Southampton. But the board continues to back Potter, who they see as the right football, strategic and personality fit.
Of course, football is a results-driven business. But Chelsea’s owners want to be patient. They don’t feel Chelsea’s worrying form is solely down to Potter. This is fair given Chelsea’s injury crisis and the number of new signings that need bedding in.
Potter won’t be judged on whether he qualifies for the Champions League this season. Of course, Chelsea expect to be there as almost a given, but there is an appreciation this season may be about building for the long term rather than necessarily getting an instant return.
In this context, what’s key for Potter is he shows progress. It’s not necessarily about where he finishes specifically but getting consistency of performances, fostering team identity and ultimately scoring more goals.
Chelsea were quite impressive against Dortmund in their 1-0 loss, they just didn’t take any of their countless chances. Yet against Southampton, Potter tinkered and the performance was flatter. As a result, he has to win over the fanbase, who are growing impatient as shown by the boos at the weekend. Winning at Spurs, and turning the Dortmund tie around at Stamford Bridge will obviously help quieten Potter’s critics. It’s a tough task.
I think in the eyes of some fans, Potter is still managing in the shadow of Thomas Tuchel. The owners didn’t see Tuchel as the right fit for their project, and appreciate Potter’s sanguine demeanour and the fact he’s on the same page with the board in their long-term vision. But fans don’t see this. They still view Tuchel as a cult-hero who won the Champions League and wore his heart on his sleeve.
I think back to the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. Chelsea were superb in the first half and at full time, after a contentious late Harry Kane equaliser, Tuchel went in for an aggressive and lingering handshake with Antonio Conte. Potter has said many times he doesn’t want to replicate that type of move, feign anger or add showmanship just to show he somehow ‘cares’ more. And he’s absolutely right. Managers who shout, scream and run down the touchline might be box office to watch but they aren’t better or more invested. Calmness on the touchline is an underrated quality.
But I do think when Potter gets his first big result to end this run we’ll see a huge pressure relief manifest in a pretty animated and public celebration and that might warm him to some Chelsea supporters.
It’s been hard for Potter. He left Brighton mid-season, inherited a huge squad, had a host of key players out injured and only now is he starting to be able to truly put his stamp on the team.
The priority for him is deciding his best XI, which I still don’t think he entirely knows. That’s the main thing. With things not going to plan it’s tempting to chop and change, but Chelsea really need a bit more consistency in their selection and should be able to get it with Reece James fit, Benoit Badiashile looking settled alongside Thiago Silva, Enzo Fernandez starting every week and Joao Felix back from suspension.
Potter hasn’t become a bad manager since leaving Brighton. And the owners look to Arsenal, and how much pressure Mikel Arteta has been under in seasons gone by, and hope their persistence in Potter pays off just like it has done for Arsenal with Arteta.
Sacking Potter, which would have probably already happened under Roman Abramovich, could be counter-productive to Chelsea’s long-term project. This relies on youth and the manager needs to embrace the model and be excellent at managing upcoming talent. Potter ticks that box.
Adapting to a dressing room full of senior stars will come over time and is arguably Potter’s biggest challenge, and Chelsea will clear out certain names over the summer leading to a slightly smaller squad which will make things easier. That’s why the owners want to give Potter until the end of the season and then have a stable pre-season ahead of 2023/24. Consistency sends the right message from both the owners to Potter and to the wider market.
The final point to add is despite rumours suggesting some senior players are unhappy under Potter, my understanding remains he’s liked and respected at Cobham. He held a series of early one-on-ones to set the tone when he joined and has an open-door policy which is appreciated.
One or two players are clearly frustrated, like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has missed out on the last three Premier League matchday squads and was excluded from Chelsea’s updated 25-man list for the Champions League. But this was a decision made by both Potter with the board’s backing.
I think Raheem Sterling was a little uncomfortable when asked to play at wing-back and Mason Mount hasn’t found his scoring form of last season. But none of this means there is a mutiny against the manager. It’s really more a by-product of Chelsea’s squad being too big and the team lacking a bit of confidence and identity.
Due to the huge upheaval at Chelsea at all levels since the new owners came in, and with all the big spending, there is almost an expectation of daily soap opera at Stamford Bridge. But I believe behind-the-scenes there remains a clear plan ahead of a big few weeks for Chelsea.
Liverpool have genuine interest in bargain Mason Mount signing
Liverpool’s interest in Mason Mount is genuine and the Chelsea midfielder will be able to use this to his advantage in contract talks. But even before Chelsea’s new owners officially came in, renewing Mount’s contract was a high priority and this remains the case.
Talks have stalled to some extent, although Chelsea were always focused on a busy January window and prioritising Mount at the same time wouldn’t have necessarily changed much because the sides are quite far apart on terms. Mount’s contract expires in summer 2024 and Liverpool know they stand a chance of getting a bargain.
Chelsea still really want to keep Mount, even though he hasn’t hit the productivity levels of last season when he scored 11 Premier League goals. They face a few challenges, though. Mount expects a similar package to Reece James, and you can understand why if he’s valuing his worth on campaign.
The financials (in terms of the base wage) may not actually prove an insurmountable stumbling block. Mount is wrongly being billed by some as greedy and I don’t think that’s true. It’s really more about Mount agreeing to the ownership’s new approach: long-term contracts – which aren’t always as easy to get players to commit to as you might think – with incentive-driven clauses and, at the other extreme, decreases if Champions League football isn’t met. As I understand it, all Chelsea’s January signings have UCL-specific clauses.
Chelsea are now expected to pick up talks again at the end of the season and will be encouraged by the fact Mount has previously indicated he wants to extend his stay at the club where he’s been since he was six. A renewal is not guaranteed or close but the desire to find an agreement (and Chelsea’s appreciation for Mount) hasn’t changed.
What has, however, is perhaps Mount’s ‘automatic’ place in the team right now. It’s a shame some fans have turned on and almost scapegoated Mount for Chelsea’s slump. I think it’s tough for a longer-standing player to adapt to so many new faces, too, and I still expect Mount to rediscover his form in the second half of the season. But it can’t be easy going from being universally lauded to being singled out, sometimes before he’s even kicked a ball. Mount is a fantastic player and personality and Chelsea know what he’s capable of regardless of his lull in form.
Arsenal make Ivan Fresneda a summer priority
Arsenal will look at a right back this summer to add a bit of depth and plan for the long term. Even though they dramatically won at Aston Villa at the weekend, Ben White wasn’t at his best and was dropped prior to that in the home loss to Manchester City. And in that game White’s replacement, Takehiro Tomiyasu, gifted Kevin de Bruyne the opener.
As an aside, it was fantastic to see Martin Odegaard going straight over to Tomiyasu to offer some words of encouragement. Odergaard has been tremendous this season as both a player and captain.
Arsenal’s priority remains Ivan Fresneda, who they tried to sign in January. Fresneda opted to stay at Real Valladolid until the end of the season despite offers from both the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund. Fresneda’s agent Luis Bardaji actually said up to 30 teams had made enquiries for the 18-year-old. Newcastle were also tracking him.
In the end Fresneda was reluctant to move, even with options from some suitors to be loaned back. Despite being a fantastic prospect, he’s still developing and has still played less than 15 LaLiga games. It makes sense he didn’t want to rush into anything with summer giving him time to transition to a new club.
Arsenal haven’t seriously explored Inter’s Denzel Dumfries. He’s been on Chelsea and Manchester United’s radar, but both clubs felt the price was too high (Inter were quoting figures in excess of £40m. We wait and see if that drops). Chelsea have since signed Malo Gusto.
In some ways it’s difficult for both Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United because their starting right-back or wing-back is so strong. Dumfries is quite versatile, but ultimately any right-sided defender coming into those three clubs isn’t going to suddenly replace Reece James, Kieren Trippier or Diogo Dalot.
More generally, there are a few other full-backs to keep an eye on. Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is being tracked by Newcastle and Manchester United. And Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters will almost certainly be on the move if Saints go down. Tottenham considered a return and Chelsea have looked at him the past.
Tino Livramento is another intriguing option, who has had horrific luck with injuries. The 20-year-old was magnificent last season until he picked up a serious ACL injury against Brighton last April and recently suffered another set-back this January when returning with the Saints’ B team.
Chelsea have a buy-back option active in 2023, but it’s not thought they’ll activate it, especially now Gusto has signed from Lyon. And all suitors will obviously have doubts given his long spell out on the sidelines. But Livramento will be monitored when fit with a view to a possible move over the next 2-3 windows by both Arsenal and Manchester City. And if he hadn’t suffered his injury he may already be at one of those two clubs already.