GAME OVER for Rashford if Man Utd secure this big summer signing

With the news that Manchester United could make a bid for the AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao, more questions must be asked about the future of Marcus Rashford.

Leao, 24, is widely tipped to leave San Siro this summer with the Rossoneri keen to cash in.

Although he performed beneath his best levels throughout the autumn and winter, the Portugal winger has looked much more like himself in the past few weeks.

READ MORE: Man Utd to offload FIVE big-name stars in summer shakeup

He has delivered goals and electrifying performances, leading to speculation that Milan might ask for €175 million this summer from any suitors minded to bid for a player under contract until 2028.

Rafa Leão smiling the whole way through his golaço 😄🇵🇹#MilanAtalanta pic.twitter.com/4y4jxUy4w1

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) February 27, 2024

Erik ten Hag’s side might be one of the interested teams.

Leao looks tailor-made for the Premier League, with his dribbling ability, creativity and physicality, although he could do with brushing up on his final ball and finishing.

There is no doubt that the former Lille star remains a player on the up and he is highly coveted in Paris too.

Will Marcus Rashford leave Man Utd this summer?

Paris Saint-Germain are in the market for a replacement for the Real Madrid-bound Kylian Mbappe and Leao consistently comes out on top of the list of candidates.

He would fit in well at Parc des Princes should the inevitable happen and Mbappe move to Madrid.

Where a move for Leao would leave Marcus Rashford, however, is anyone’s guess.

The 26-year-old is also under contract until 2028 and is reported to be making in excess of £300,000 per week.

United are not currently getting anywhere close to value for their money.

Although he scored a sensational goal in the Premier League against Manchester City recently, and another important strike against Liverpool in the FA Cup, the homegrown forward’s general performances have been nowhere near the expected standard.

Rashford's disastrous season for Man Utd

He has only scored seven goals all season long in the league, two of those being penalties, and has attracted criticism for his lack of contribution in United’s play.

He endured a high-profile fallout with Ten Hag over an ill-advised night out in Belfast in January, leading to him being fined and dropped from the first-team squad.

Rashford was also on the receiving end of some harsh words for continuing with his plans to celebrate his birthday despite his side being battered in the Manchester derby earlier that day.

Overall, it’s been a season to forget for Rashford, whose exit has been mooted for some time.

Rooney says it's time for Rashford to GO

Even former team-mate Wayne Rooney has got in on the act, declaring recently to Premier League Productions that he might be better off elsewhere.

“Last season, he went and scored a lot of goals,” United's all-time record goalscorer said.

“But this season, he hasn't kicked on. He doesn't look happy when he is playing.

“You wonder, is his best option to move away from the club and have a fresh start?”

This is the same Rooney who said he had very little sympathy for Rashford following the criticism which came his way after the Belfast trip.

And it’s true that Rashford has come nowhere close to the standards he set for himself last term.

United are suffering in attack with only Rasmus Hojlund, intermittently at that, giving them what they need in front of goal.

There have been suggestions in the Spanish press that a Leao capture could lead to a tactical switch for Rashford, namely up front.

That, however, looks unlikely with the Dane growing into his role whenever he is fully fit.

Could Sir Jim Ratcliffe get rid of Rashford?

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS operation seeking to overhaul the football department at Old Trafford, no stone will be left unturned in a quest to bring glory back to the English record champions.

If that means finding a buyer for Rashford, so be it.

We could see a transfer merry-go-round with Leao coming to United and Rashford taking Mbappe's place at PSG.

Luis Enrique's side are among the few clubs who could arrange a deal of this size, given the scale of Rashford’s wages and the fee likely required to sign him.

Beyond the French side, the market for Rashford looks thin as teams are either well stocked or might well be reluctant to invest given the recent paucity of his performances.

Maybe Rashford is a top class player who once again just needs to find his way.

If Leao comes into Old Trafford, however, he might have to work out his new path away from his boyhood club.