Manchester United are reportedly set to extend the contracts of five players in the coming months to avoid them leaving for nothing next summer.
The contracts of Marcus Rashford, David de Gea, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot and Fred are all due to expire in June but United retain the option to extend each of the deals by a further year, which they intend to activate. Manchester Evening News report that the extensions will all be finalised before the end of the January transfer window.
An extension for Rashford in particular will be welcomed by United fans. The England star has enjoyed a resurgence in form since the appointment of Erik ten Hag. Rashford was linked with a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer though it never looked likely he would leave Old Trafford.
The MEN's report adds that Rashford's brother and agent Dwaine Maynard met with PSG chiefs three weeks before the transfer window closed, though it is felt he may have done so as leverage to strengthen their bargaining position when it came to discussing a new contract. Meanwhile, De Gea remains No.1 goalkeeper under Ten Hag and is the second-highest earner at the club behind Cristiano Ronaldo, whose contract is also due to expire.
It appears unlikely that Ronaldo's deal will be extended despite United having the option to do so. The Portuguese striker has made attempts to leave United this summer and has found himself on the bench in Ten Hag's first few games in charge as question marks remain around the role he will play under the Dutch coach.
Whether the other players will stay at United long term remains to be seen. Diogo Dalot has been a regular selection for Ten Hag this season but it is no secret United were in the market for a new right-back in the summer. Luke Shaw's position is also under threat having lost his place to new signing Tyrell Malacia, while Fred's role at United continues to be under constant scrutiny.
United held fire on offering Shaw and Fred new deals back in May whilst they waited for approval from Ten Hag. Tying all the players down to an extension will at least give United the chance to sell them on for a fee come next summer should they choose. Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe look certain to be released on free transfers, while Tom Heaton is also out of contract in June.
Ten Hag has done a good job of freshening up his side after a transfer splurge costing more than £230million. United reportedly accepted they were paying over the odds for £86m forward Antony and £60m midfielder Casemiro, but were convinced to do so after seeing how determined both players were to pull on a United shirt.
Should United look to sell any of the five players extending their contracts? Have your say in the comments below.
The likes of Malacia and Lisandro Martinez have already forced their way into Ten Hag's starting XI and are finding their feet in the Premier League after a shaky start. Ten Hag has also shown he's happy to take advantage of the free transfer market after snapping up Christian Eriksen, who is becoming an increasingly important player for the Red Devils with each passing week.
Recuperating transfer fees for players has been a problem for United in recent years, though, with Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Edinson Cavani all departing in the summer for nothing; something the club will be keen not to repeat going forward.
