OFFICIAL: Edinson Cavani to remain at Man Utd as contract extension confirmed

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:39 CDT
• 4 min read

Edinson Cavani will still be a Manchester United player next season after the club triggered a clause to extend his stay at Old Trafford by another year.

The former Paris Saint-Germain hitman arrived at Man Utd in the summer on a free transfer from the Ligue 1 side and has proved himself to be a hit, earning rave reviews not just for his performances on the pitch but his positive influence on the dressing room.

READ MORE: How Villarreal sent injury-ravaged Eric Bailly to Man Utd for £30m

He is enjoying a purple patch of form at the moment as he scored two goals in both legs of the Europa League semi-final tie against Roma, and then came off the bench to score a lovely header against Aston Villa on Sunday as Man Utd won 3-1.

“Over the season, I have developed a great affection for the club and everything that it represents. I feel a deep bond with my team-mates and the staff who work behind the scenes here. They give me extra motivation every day and I know that, together, we can achieve special things,” Cavani said.

“From the very first moment that I arrived, I felt the confidence of the manager. As a player, this belief gives you the perfect opportunity to play your best football and I want to thank him for that.

“I have been touched with how much the supporters have wanted me to stay, and I will give everything to bring them happiness and joy with my performances on the field. I’ve not yet been able to play in front of the Old Trafford crowd and that is something that I cannot wait to do.”

Solskjaer hails Cavani’s contribution

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added: “I said when Edinson signed, that he would bring energy, power and leadership to this group and I haven’t been proved wrong, he has been everything I thought he would be and more.

“As coaches, we knew about his goalscoring record. However, it is his personality that has brought so much to this squad, he has a winning mentality and has an unequivocal attitude to everything he does.

“Edinson is one of the last to leave the training ground and sets the tone for the upcoming youngsters with his approach to his profession every single day. I have always wanted him to stay and experience the way our fans will respond to him as a player, and this means he will hopefully get that opportunity.”

Earlier in the campaign, Cavani was heavily fined and suspended for three matches after using an alleged racist comment on social media. His defenders argued over the cultural differences between the language in Uruguay compared to England, insisting his actions were not racist but more ill-informed.

The situation left Cavani questioning his future in the country, with Boca Juniors in Argentina interested in him.

Future confirmed

Any speculation regarding his immediate future has been put to rest though as he will now feature as a Man Utd player in the 2021/22 season, hopefully in front of supporters.

Cavani has started just 11 games in the Premier League this season yet has scored nine goals.

From players who have featured in more than 1,000 minutes in the 2020/21 campaign, only Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho has a better record of non-penalty goals per 90 minutes

Iheanacho averages 0.79 while Cavani and Diogo Jota of Liverpool are both on 0.69.