Manchester United marquee forward Marcus Rashford will delay signing a new contract at Old Trafford in light of recent takeover leaks, as per The Sun.
The Red Devils are hell-bent on persuading their most prolific frontman to pledge his long-term future to the Theatre of Dreams.
Rashford has enjoyed a rise to stardom under Erik ten Hag this season, fulfilling his well-documented potential to move to the top of the club’s scoring charts with a whopping 27 goals.
However, his deal expires at the end of next season, forcing the club to step up negotiations over his contract extension, particularly amid growing interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
As the homegrown Old Trafford star, Rashford was widely expected to commit his future to the red jersey he’s been proudly donning since bursting onto the big stage as a teenager in 2015.
But recent rumours saying the Red Devils contemplate the prospect of enforcing a wage cap of around £200,000 a week per player on new deals has forced the forward to sit tight.
With a Qatari group led by Sheikh Jassim and INEOS owner Jim Ratcliffe spearheading the race to acquire the ownership of Man United, Rashford is holding off to see how a takeover will pan out.
Since both parties have promised to make heavy investments to restore one of the world’s best clubs to glory, the 25-year-old probably hopes to secure a significantly larger figure than £200,000 a week.
The England international has hit the pinnacle of his career at Old Trafford and could be on the verge of signing the most lucrative deal of his life as he enters his peak years.
While United’s idea of introducing a salary cap to prevent envy among the squad makes sense, it’s a double-edged sword, considering it could discourage high-performing players like Rashford from penning new deals.
