As ever, the 2023 Summer Transfer window has seen the rumour mill move into overdrive, with barely a day going by without a big-name player being linked with a new club
From the Harry Kane saga to the now-concluded battle for James Maddison, and many more, the transfer window ensures we are never short of Premier League news headlines, even in the off-season.
This is a crucial time of year for all Premier League clubs and is also of pivotal importance to punters assessing the best Betting offers for new customers and weighing up their options ahead of the 2023/24 season. For example, many be interested in backing Spurs to go well should Harry Kane continue to lead the line, but perhaps not so much should the England hitman depart for Bayern Munich – as many reports suggest is a realistic possibility.
Exactly which shirt Kane will be wearing at the start of the new season remains to be seen, but one man who will definitely not be seeking pastures new is Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford. Having been linked with a move away from the club as his current deal runs down, the man as famous for his charitable contributions as his work on the pitch has now pledged his future to his boyhood club.
Five Year Deal
Considering Rashford joined Manchester United as a seven-year-old boy and has never hidden his love for the club, it should be no surprise that he has extended his stay until the Summer of 2028 at least. In a world where players increasingly flit from one team to another, Rashford’s loyalty to the badge is an admirable trait.
Despite reportedly receiving more lucrative offers, both from at home and abroad, the 25-year-old sounded delighted to be remaining at the club he calls home, stating, “As a United fan all my life, I know the responsibility that comes with representing this badge and feel the highs and lows as much as anyone. I can assure you that I will give everything to help the team reach the level we are capable of, and I can feel the same determination around the dressing room. I couldn’t be more excited for the future under this manager.”
This news will likely be a welcome relief to United supporters, as the goalscoring department is generally accepted as the area of the team with the most room for improvement. Fans will still be hoping for a new number 9, but at least last season’s top-scorer remains in the building.
Revitalised Under ten Hag
As welcome as the news is now, it was only a couple of seasons ago that Rashford’s future was being questioned by certain sections of the Old Trafford support.
Having exploded onto the scene with braces on his European and Premier League debuts during the 2015/16 season, Rashford built on that work to confirm himself as a genuine rising star over the following campaigns – earning the coveted Number 10 shirt and a new four-year deal in the process.
The 2021/22 season then saw Rashford face his first real spell of adversity, as a combination of injury, loss of form, and continually being played out of position seemed to affect his confidence – resulting in a return of only five goals in all competitions. A change of some description was clearly in order, and that change arrived with the appointment of Erik ten Hag.
More consistently deployed in a central role under ten Hag, Rashford responded with the most blistering season of his career, racking up a career-best 30 goals in all competitions – the first Man Utd player to achieve that feat in a decade – and being crowned Manchester United’s Player of the Year by both the fans and his fellow players. If able to maintain that level over the next five years, he could be the man to lead United’s assault on the major trophies.