Why Manchester United should not let go of Marcus Rashford

According to the Independent (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford has emerged as a top transfer target for Paris Saint-Germain.

The report also claims that the Ligue 1 giants are set to go all out in a bid to land the in-form attacker and are willing to offer Manchester United well in excess of £100million for his services. 22-year-old Rashford has been in sensational form for the Red Devils this season and is currently their joint top-scorer in the league alongside teammate Anthony Martial, with 16 goals.

Despite still being 22, Rashford has shown immense maturity for his age, and has 66 goals and 38 assists from 208 appearances for Manchester United, giving a clear idea of the talent that he is.

His consistent displays for United have also made him a regular in the England national side, for whom he has scored 10 goals in 38 matches so far.

Rashford is not someone new to PSG after he helped Manchester United secure a Champions League last-16 place last year by taking the last-minute penalty, which saw the French side exit the competition.

PSG also value him highly and consider him in the same mould as their star winger Kylian Mbappe, who in recent transfer windows has been consistently linked with a move to La Liga giants Real Madrid.

Rashford, a prized asset for Manchester United

Meanwhile, Rashford’s performances for the Red Devils has improved with time, which has seen him establish himself as one of the first names in the team sheet under new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He seemed to have emulated his displays from last season, scoring 21 goals already this season.

The young winger had managed just 13 goals altogether last season – a drastic change compared to this season, proving that he is one United’s most prized assets. Also, apart from Rashford, United clearly lack a consistent goal-scoring winger in their ranks.

Though academy graduate Mason Greenwood has emerged as a prospect for the club with his excellent goal-scoring exploits this season, it is too early to judge his potential. Moreover, Greenwood likes to operate from the right flank while Rashford is more comfortable playing across the left.

United had also bought young winger Daniel James last summer but he still has a lot to improve, as it was evident from his recent snub in United’s last few fixtures. Considering all this, United would be making a grave mistake if they choose to let go of their prized possession. Hence, they should stay away from any such deal involving the Englishman’s sale.

Read more

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• Opinion: Manchester United should pursue their interest in Alessio Romagnoli
• Why Manchester United should offload Juan Mata in the summer

Verdict

Manchester United lack an established and consistent goal-scoring winger like Rashford in their ranks. Selling him despite the huge money will hurt the side as it will take them some time to find a suitable replacement for him. Moreover, he is in the form of his life and is still very young, meaning he could be the one to lead them in the days to come.