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Manchester United travel to the Camp Nou on Thursday (February 16) to face Barcelona in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League knockout playoffs. Erik ten Hag’s men will be determined to win to enhance their chances of securing silverware this season.
Meanwhile, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said that Bayern Munich are not targeting Marcus Rashford at the moment. Elsewhere, the Red Devils are interested in Marcus Thuram.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on February 16, 2023:
Bayern Munich not targeting Marcus Rashford
Bayern Munich are not targeting Marcus Rashford at the moment, according to Fabrizio Romano.
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The English forward’s future is the talk of the town at the moment. The 25-year-old has been in red-hot form under Erik ten Hag this season but is yet to commit his future to Manchester United. A recent report said that Rashford is wanted by the Bavarians, but Romano has refuted those claims.
The Englishman's contract expires in less than 18 months, and the Red Devils are already working to tie him down to a new deal. However, in his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that talks are not at an advanced stage.
“Bayern are not working on Rashford deal as of now. PSG wanted him last summer and even before with Pochettino in 2021, but Manchester United want to extend his contract. At this stage, Rashford is not in advanced negotiations to sign a new deal at Manchester United; it’s still not that advanced,” wrote Romano.
Rashford has appeared 34 times acrosscompetitions for the Premier League giants this season, amassing 21 goals and eight assists.
Manchester United want Marcus Thuram
Manchester United are interested in Marcus Thuram, according to FC Inter News via Sport Witness.
The French forward’s contract with Borussia Monchengladbach runs out at the end of the season. The 25-year-old is expected to leave as a free agent, and the Red Devils are interested.
The Old Trafford outfit have already initiated contact with the player’s entourage to facilitate a deal. However, they're yet to place a concrete offer on the table.
Inter Milan are also hot on the heels of Thuram and have already offered him a proposal. However, the Frenchman is waiting for a better deal from the Premier League. He has appeared 21 times across competitions for Monchengladbach this season, scoring 13 goals and setting up four.
Louis Saha advises Harry Maguire to leave Old Trafford
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has advised Harry Maguire to leave Old Trafford.
The English defender has failed to cement his place under Ten Hag and is a peripheral figure in the first team. The Dutch manager’s preference to use Luke Shaw ahead of Magurie has spoken volumes of his trust in the 29-year-old.
Speaking to PaddyPower, as cited by The Metro, Saha said Maguire must leave if he wants to play regular football.
“Harry Maguire must look for a move away from Manchester United because his form is going to drop as he won’t play much. The way United play at the back, dominating and playing forward-thinking football, Maguire takes too many touches, and they lose the opportunity to attract the opponent on to them,” said Saha.
He added:
“That’s what happens when your confidence is low. We see it when opponents try to press Raphael Varane or Lisandro Martínez, they can cope with ease, unlike Maguire. It’s difficult seeing the club captain not playing, but he still has a smile on his face. No one will be annoyed at him for wanting to play more minutes, as he’s also a very important player for England.”
Saha said that the English defender should move to a team that play counter attacking football and stay compact at the back.
“He needs minutes, and his style would suit a team who are very compact defensively and hit teams on the counter. But right now, United need a very composed and agile player at the back, able to maintain the quality going forwards,” said Saha.
He continued:
“If Maguire wants to stay, he has to improve very quickly and take any opportunity he gets in the team. It’s a big challenge for Maguire. He can play for Manchester United, but given the players ahead of him in the team, he’s not going to get the minutes he needs if he wants to remain at the top.”
Maguire has appeared 19 times for the Red Devils this season, mostly off the bench.
