Marcus Rashford swap deal proposed as Man Utd can solve 2 issues at once | Football | Sport
Rashford has notched up 28 goal contributions across all competitions, the most recent of which came during Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over rivals Real Madrid. When asked after the win, Rashford admitted his preference would be to stay at Barcelona beyond the summer.
However, a return to the La Liga outfit would require Barcelona to agree a deal with United, or else Rashford’s future could once again be up in the air. Stam, who featured 127 times for United during his career, believes there might be a solution that kills two birds with one stone.
That’s because United have been linked with a move for AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, and reports from Italy suggest the Rossoneri would be willing to sell. Stam believes a swap deal that sees Rashford join Milan, with Leao going the opposite way, could be something that suits all parties.
Speaking to ComeOn, the Dutchman explained: “Maybe a swap between Rafael Leao and Marcus Rashford could work. Leao is also a good player. He has shown his potential at Milan, of course, in what he can do. I think he is a player that should be on the list of targets for Man Utd.
“Having said that, you need to have a look not only at the skill of a player, but also at the mentality of players. You need to consider the situation where the club is, what player they are bringing in that is going to help the club going forward, so that you don’t get any irritations from players who are not being picked to start.”
He continued: “We’ve seen that that can create a kind of a stir within the dressing room. So you need to have a look at the personality of players, at the whole picture, and what’s the best player to bring into the club.
“It feels very exciting to bring in these types of players, but you don’t need to look at what’s the best for right now, you need to look at long-term projects and what’s very important for the club.”
Not only would it reinforce United’s attack with some much-needed depth, but it would also free up some much-needed space on their wage bill. Rashford is contracted at United until the summer of 2028, with his wage said to be in excess of £300,000 per week.
