Manchester United find themselves at a crossroads with Marcus Rashford, with AC Milan reportedly considering a potential loan move, while the club are also evaluating the future of Joshua Zirkzee. It remains to be seen whether United are prepared to part ways with Rashford, particularly given his status as the club’s highest-paid player, with a high salary that the club is reluctant to subsidize. Jim Ratcliffe, who oversees football strategy, could decide that a loan for Rashford, at least for the rest of the season, would serve the interests of all parties, including that of manager Ruben Amorim.
The new 27-year-old striker is struggling to secure a regular starting place under Amorim, who notably omitted him from four consecutive team sheets, citing “training reasons”. Although Rashford made his return in a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle, he remained on the bench and was absent through illness during the recent 2-2 draw against Liverpool. Last month, Rashford expressed his desire to take on a new challenge.
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In January, Jadon Sancho was loaned to Borussia Dortmund after a rift with Erik ten Hag, leading to a period of exile from the first team for the winger. Sancho’s departure eased tensions and allowed him to showcase his talents, culminating in a loan move to Chelsea in the summer, which came with a £25m obligation to buy.
While there is no animosity between Amorim and Rashford, Ratcliffe could consider that a similar loan deal could pave the way for a future sale, with Rashford’s contract extending for a further three years by summer. Napoli have shown tentative interest in Rashford, but sources suggest United would be very surprised if that interest materialized into a formal offer.
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Meanwhile, Juventus are aiming to secure Joshua Zirkzee on loan, with their manager Thiago Motta having previously worked with the striker during his time at Bologna before Zirkzee’s £34m move to United in July.
Officially, United maintain that Amorim want Zirkzee to stay, but with the need to sell and strengthen the squad, serious offers could prompt a re-evaluation. Following the draw against Liverpool, Amorim said: “I want to keep Josh because he gives everything and he tries in training, but we don’t know. The market is open and we will see what happens. ”
In another twist, Rasmus Hojlund was seen limping out of Anfield, while Matthijs de Ligt appeared to have a minor leg problem. However, there do not appear to be any major concerns regarding their fitness ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third round match against Arsenal.
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