"We need him" - Erik ten Hag urges Manchester United star to sign new contract

With the final week of January approaching, Manchester United are concentrating on extending their player contracts and preparing for the summer transfer window. A major player whose future at Old Trafford is uncertain is Marcus Rashford, who is in the last year of his contract. Manager Erik ten Hag has now openly urged the England international to extend his stay at the club.

Ten Hag has been praised by pundits and fans for his work with Rashford, who has scored nine goals in nine games since the World Cup and is currently in remarkable form. However, there has been some unease that the forward may not extend his United contract, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly among the clubs interested in him.

Speaking about his star forward, Ten Hag said (via Fabrizio Romano):

“It’s confidential — but I think Marcus understands Manchester United is his club. Marcus knows that in this team he’s playing his best football. We need him.”

As Manchester United start planning for the summer transfer window, Ten Hag is prioritizing the acquisition of a new striker, with Harry Kane emerging as the primary target. This is according to Express, who revealed that the Tottenham Hotspur star has been urged by Arsenal legend Ian Wright to join the Red Devils.

The club recently acquired striker Wout Weghorst on a short-term loan from Burnley.

---

Manchester United offered chance to buy Juventus wantaway forward

According to a report by 90min, Manchester United have been offered a chance to sign Juventus’ striker Dusan Vlahovic. The Serb only joined the Turin side in January last year, but could be set to leave the club after roughly a year following their 15-point deduction. The penalty levied in lieu of 'financial irregularities' saw the club drop into the bottom half of the Serie A table.

Vlahovic earned his move to Italy’s most successful club after scoring 20 goals in 24 games for Fiorentina in the first half of the 2021-22 season. The young striker was sought after by top clubs across Europe. However, he opted to join Juventus where he felt he would be guaranteed Champions League football and a regular chance at domestic glory.

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern Munich have also been made aware of the striker’s availability, and United will have to move fast if they want to secure his services. Juventus are reportedly open to letting Vlahovic leave this January or the summer, and it is left to the interested parties to kick off negotiations.

Manchester United now have a choice to make, with the club still in need of a long-term solution up top despite the arrival of Weghorst on loan this January. Vlahovic will now be up for consideration among United's other targets to lead the line, with names such as Benjamin Sesko, Victor Osimhen, and Harry Kane on the radar.