Marcus Rashford is on the verge of signing a new long-term contract at Manchester United, while negotiations with David de Gea are progressing.
Confirmation of Rashford’s four-year deal, worth around £250,000-a-week, could come before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad fly out to Perth on July 7 for the start of their pre-season tour to Australia and the Far East.
Securing the England striker’s long-term future is a major boost for Solskjaer, who has told the 21-year-old he will be the first choice centre forward next season, ahead of Romelu Lukaku.
His deal will also include the option of a further 12 months.
United now hope De Gea will follow suit, despite their refusal to make the goalkeeper the highest paid player at the club.
United are prepared to pay the Spain international £350,000-a-week, but he is holding out for closer to the £450,000-a-week deal handed to Alexis Sanchez 18 months ago.
De Gea has just one year remaining on his contract, meaning this summer’s transfer window will be the last chance to demand a significant fee for him.
But United’s executive vice chairman Ed Woodward is prepared to risk losing him for nothing in the hope a breakthrough can be reached during the season.
He did likewise with Luke Shaw last summer, with the full-back eventually committing to a new deal that made him one of the highest paid defenders in Europe.
While United recognise they are gambling on losing a potential £70m fee for De Gea, it is considered a calculated risk.
Having signed him for £18.9m in 2011, there is a feeling they have had plenty of value out of him, while the club’s financial strength means they could absorb the cost of losing him for nothing.
