English giants Manchester United have triggered one-year options to extend the contracts of Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, and Fred to the end of the 2023/24 season.
The PA news agency reports that the move has been made to prevent the likes of Rashford from leaving the club as they try to sit him down for a longer contract in the coming months even though the same has not been done for keeper David De Gea.
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Rashford is United’s top scorer this season with eight goals in all competitions and also netted three times during England’s run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. Having emerged from the Red Devils’ academy in 2015/16, the 25-year-old has so far registered a total of 101 goals in 322 appearances for the club.
Left-back Shaw – another member of England’s squad in Qatar – has played 228 times for United after joining from Southampton in 2014. Portugal right-back Dalot and Brazil midfielder Fred have both been with the club since 2018.
De Gea, the only one of the quintet who was not selected by his country for the just-concluded World Cup, joined United 11 years ago and has racked up more than 500 appearances for them. While there is a possibility that he might be handed a new deal, there have been reports that manager Erik ten Hag is looking for a ball-playing goalkeeper, and should the Spaniard not improve this aspect of his game, the Dutchman might allow him to leave.
Should he stay, United is looking to reduce the keepers’ salary which currently sits at £375,000 a week.
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