Man Utd tipped to use Rashford as swap-deal bait for £51m midfield target

Manchester United are being tipped to use wantaway forward Marcus Rashford as potential swap-deal bait to snap up one of their top summer transfer window targets.

The Red Devils have made rebuilding Michael Carrick’s midfield engine room this summer a key priority, following the departure of Casemiro and the ACL injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte at the World Cup – although the Uruguay star would have been sold this summer, if he had stayed fit.

Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have already arrived in a combined £85million deal, but it’s common knowledge that Carrick wants a third midfielder through the door for Man Utd, as the Old Trafford outfit attempt to cope with the demands of domestic and European football ahead of the new season.

We reported on July 9 that United were plotting a move for Roma star Manu Kone, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano delivering an update on the chase for the France international on July 26.

However, Man Utd have so far been unwilling to match Roma’s £51million (€60m) asking price for the player, leading to concerns that a move could end up falling through.

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Italian reports talks up Kone-Rashford swap deal

Given United’s current stance on Kone, a fresh report from Italy claims that Rashford could be used in a swap proposal for the 25-year-old.

Indeed, Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport has talked up Rashford heading to Rome as a ‘suitable makeweight’ to get a deal over the line for Kone.

Roma have so far fielded multiple enquiries for their midfielder, who is poised to leave as the Serie A giants look to fund their own transfer plans and adhere to Financial Fair Play regulations.

Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ahli have also been linked with Kone but, like United, they are not convinced by Roma’s valuation of the player.

As for Rashford’s take on a potential switch to Italy, having spent the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Barcelona, that’s unclear at this stage.

One thing that could throw a spanner in the works for any swap deal, however, is the England star’s salary demands.

While United would much prefer a permanent exit for Rashford, a loan proposal would likely see Old Trafford chiefs paying a significant portion of Rashford’s salary.

To date, no club has yet met United’s asking price for Rashford, while reports suggest the academy graduate turned down the prospect of a move to Turkey.

The forward has not featured for the club since December 2024, but still has two years left to run on his contract at Old Trafford.

A clause that would have permitted him to leave for £40m – to any club other than Liverpool or Manchester City – has also now expired.

While the Old Trafford board remain eager to shed the financial burden when it comes to Rashford, United boss Michael Carrick did indicate at the end of last season that he was open to the idea of the forward remaining.

“Whoever’s here, I want to work with, and help them improve,” Carrick said. “At the moment, it’s this squad of players. There’s obviously players on loan, and whatever happens with that later on will happen.

“But certainly, as a coach, and leader of a squad, we want to get the best out of everyone.”

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