Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag insists that selling Marcus Rashford to Paris Saint-Germain is not part of the club's plans.
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Rashford linked with PSG as Mbappe replacementTen Hag says forward still 'part of project'Financial constraints may yet make sale attractiveWHAT HAPPENED?
A fresh wave of speculation linking the forward with a move to the French capital and a £75 million ($96m) bid emerged on Thursday. With PSG set to lose talisman Kylian Mbappe at the end of this season, reports have linked Rashford with the Ligue 1 champions, who see both his playing style and personality as a perfect fit. But questioned about the chances of an Old Trafford exit for Rashford, Ten Hag was quick to shut the conversation down.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID
Asked about the possibility of Rashford departing during his Friday press conference, the Dutch manager replied: "We did not sign him last season for four years with the intention to sell him now. He should be part of this project. So it is not a subject we talk about."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The question was put to Ten Hag in the context of profit and sustainability rules which United have admitted in the past to being limited by. Critics of those rules have pointed out that they encourage clubs to sell academy graduates as any transfer fee can be recorded entirely as profit.
Despite Ten Hag's riposte, an attractive offer from Paris may yet make sense for both clubs and the player as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to balance the books after years of poor recruitment at Old Trafford.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
Transfer speculation will be the last thing on anyone's mind as United take on arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday at Old Trafford with the only realistic hope for silverware on the line for the Red Devils whose fans would take equal delight in hampering Liverpool's trophy push.