Real Madrid are interested in a shock summer move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, according to reports from Spain.
The England international has struggled to find consistent form this season despite netting an impressive 30 goals in all competitions last term.
Rashford has also faced criticism for his alleged poor attitude in recent weeks. He was dropped from the Man Utd squad by Erik ten Hag after nightclubbing in the run-up to a game last month.
The 26-year-old has bounced back from that adversity, however, netting three goals in his last five Premier League games.
Rashford remains a key player for Man Utd, but it seems that Real Madrid are seriously considering making a move for him at the end of the campaign.
It is understood that the Spanish giants could offer one of their players in an attempt to sweeten the deal.
Real Madrid line up shock offer for Marcus Rashford
According to Spanish outlet Real Madrid Exclusivo, Real Madrid are considering offering Takefuso Kubo in a part-exchange deal for Rashford this summer.
Kubo currently plays for Real Sociedad, but Los Blancos have a buy-back clause of €30m (£25.5m) in his contract. They reportedly ‘intend to re-sign Kubo before they offer the Japan international to the Red Devils.’
Rashford is under contract at Old Trafford until 2028. Previous reports suggest that Man Utd would only entertain offers in the region of £120m – although this is definitely an optimistic figure.
This means that Real Madrid would have to offer a sizeable fee as well as Kubo to have any chance of luring Rashford to the Bernabeu.
Kubo is an excellent player in his own right, though, and has the potential to shine in the Premier League.
The 22-year-old has made 71 appearances in total for Sociedad since joining them in 2022, scoring 15 goals and making 13 assists in the process.
The winger is only expected to improve as he gains experience, so could prove to be a solid long-term addition for Man Utd.
The club’s new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe may be planning a squad rebuild in the summer, but offloading Rashford would be a huge call.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how this story progresses in the next few months.