Man Utd star can become joint-highest earner under Ten Hag as big leap taken in contract discussions

Manchester United have made big progress in contract talks with forward Marcus Rashford and are now ‘confident’ about agreeing a new deal with him which could see him become the joint-highest earner at the club.

Rashford recently entered the final 12 months of his Man Utd contract, leading to rumours he could depart Old Trafford. And his exceptional form this season – 16 goals in 26 matches – resulted in interest from Paris Saint-Germain. Their president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, has even spoken publicly about his desire to land Rashford.

As a result of this interest, it is no surprise Man Utd have acted to tie down the Englishman. Shortly before Christmas, Erik ten Hag confirmed Rashford was one of four players to have had his contract extended until 2024.

Like Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw and Fred, Rashford had an option in his contract to lengthen it by 12 months. And this is exactly what Man Utd did, giving them enough time to sort out lucrative, more long-term deals.

Club chiefs are now in negotiations with Rashford and his agent over fresh terms. And according to the Manchester Evening News, good progress is being made.

They have recently taken a big leap in the discussions and are now ‘confident’ about reaching an agreement. And the in-form attacker could become Man Utd’s joint-highest earner.

Cristiano Ronaldo took home a whopping £480,000 a week before his exit in November. Goalkeeper David de Gea, meanwhile, was on £375,000 per week until Man Utd failed to qualify for this season’s Champions League. This saw him take a 25 per cent pay cut and he now earns just over £280k a week.

Man Utd’s new highest earner is central midfielder Casemiro. He takes home £300k every seven days. And this money is justified, given how influential Casemiro has been to Man Utd’s nine-match winning run.

Marcus Rashford in line for significant new deal

Ten Hag has reportedly told the club not to offer any players more than £300k a week, to ensure his project is sustainable and to prevent players from getting too powerful.

But Rashford’s electric form this season could see him match Casemiro as Man Utd’s joint-highest earner. The fact is Ten Hag simply cannot afford to lose him right now, as he has scored in each of their last seven games.

An eye-watering new contract would cap off a brilliant turnaround for Rashford. He endured a poor campaign in 2021-22, finding the back of the net just five times in 32 outings.

But Rashford has already blown past that figure and is now close to making it his most successful season ever in a Man Utd shirt. That is currently the 22 goals he managed in the 2019-20 campaign.

Rashford deserves a lot of praise for his blistering form. He has worked hard to impress Ten Hag and make sure he is one of the first names on the team sheet.

The Man Utd academy graduate looks happy playing again, which will be brilliant for fans to see.

Ten Hag must also be given some credit for Rashford’s form. He has placed his trust in the forward, especially since Ronaldo’s exit, and has reaped the rewards of this. It is unclear how Ten Hag is coaching Rashford behind closed doors, but something is definitely working.

Meanwhile, Man Utd have joined Arsenal and Newcastle in the pursuit of a La Liga starlet, according to reports.