Tottenham Hotspur are currently the most aggressive suitor in the race to land Marcus Rashford, according to reports out of Italy. But there’s a pretty big catch: Spurs aren’t playing in Europe this season, and Rashford wants Champions League football.
The 28-year-old Manchester United forward is expected to be sold this summer. INEOS, United’s ownership group, is reportedly done with loan experiments. They want a permanent transfer, and they’ve set a price tag around £40 million. Rashford’s current deal pays him north of £300,000 a week, which is a non-starter for most clubs outside the Premier League.
AS Roma Live, citing sources familiar with the situation, says both Roma and Napoli have been approached by intermediaries to sound out interest in Rashford. The Serie A sides like his profile well enough, and both are preparing for Champions League campaigns next season after finishing just three points apart in the league table. But that salary? It’s basically a wall. One report puts his annual wages at roughly €8.4 million including bonuses, and neither Italian club can touch that number.
Interestingly, both Roma and Napoli have also been linked with Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutch striker, 25, has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and could be heading back to Italy. He reportedly wants to stay at Old Trafford and prove himself, but United sees him as a sellable asset to fund a more reliable goal-scorer.
Rashford’s Barcelona Hope Is Basically Dead
Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona and played well. The Blaugrana had a £26 million buy option in the deal, but they didn’t trigger it. Manager Hansi Flick reportedly wanted to keep him, but then Barcelona went out and signed Anthony Gordon, and they’re still negotiating for Karim Adeyemi. So that door is pretty much shut.
Rashford is still focused on staying with Barcelona as his first choice, but the reality is the club isn’t making that happen.
Tottenham’s Offer: Concrete Interest, No Europe
Back in the Premier League, Tottenham have made the most serious contact with Rashford’s camp. Manager Roberto De Zerbi is pushing hard for the move. But Spurs nearly got relegated last season. They’re not in any European competition, and for a player of Rashford’s caliber and ambitions, that’s a real sticking point.
Aston Villa and Newcastle United have also shown interest. Both can offer Champions League football, which gives them a natural edge. But so far, neither has matched Tottenham’s level of engagement.
There’s also interest from Turkey. Fenerbahce reportedly opened negotiations this week, and Galatasaray has entered the race too. But Rashford isn’t believed to be interested in a move to the Süper Lig at this stage of his career. He wants to stay in one of the top European leagues.
For United, the destination doesn’t matter much as long as it isn’t a direct rival like Manchester City or Liverpool. And it has to be permanent. No more loans. If Tottenham can meet the £40 million valuation and Rashford signs off, INEOS will take the deal in a heartbeat. The question is whether Rashford can get over not playing in the Champions League. Right now, that’s the only thing holding this thing up.
Featured image via Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
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