Manchester United are said to be preparing a new deal for star forward Marcus Rashford following his incredible run of performancesover the past few weeks.
The 25-year-old has been in phenomenal form since returning from the World Cup, having scored eight goals in his last seven games and even matching Dennis Violet’s record of scoring in nine consecutive home games, which has stood for nearly 65 years.
Not only has he already more than tripled his goal contributions from last season but the number 10 looks to have become a real leader in the team, as exhibited by his determination to stay on in the Manchester derby despite injury, before going on to score the winner.
With that in mind and having now entered the final 18 months of his current deal, Marcus Rashford looks set for a new contract. United will no doubt look to both reward his impressive resurgence and, hopefully, tie him down for as long as possible.
Rashford is in the form of his life and while there are plenty of reasons why, there's one aspect that cannot be overlooked. 👀https://t.co/M6f1AYfzZj
The Wythenshawe-born and bred international looks to be heading into the prime years of his career and it seems that he has every faith from manager Erik ten Hag, who has already insisted that he is not going anywhere and is currently ‘one of the best‘ in the world when it comes to his position.
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That being said, as per the MEN, Rashford’s deal is expected to be renewed with the club upping his present £200,000-a-week salary, though they are apparently reluctant to break the £300,000 threshold so as not to further mess with the wage structure, as several already earn over this amount.
In fact, recent reports have suggested that ten Hag are set to bring in a new wage cap imminently, ensuring that no existing or future United players can earn over £200k a week — an idea that club legend Gary Neville believes might be a mistake.
Should this new limit on salary be true, it is likely that Rashford’s new contract will see him rewarded and incentivised through other means, such as goals and appearance bonuses.
Judging by his current goal tally, he is well on course to beat his personal best in a season (22) and he doesn’t look to be dropped anytime soon.
United did trigger the one-year extension option in Rashford’s deal back in December which will keep him at the club until at least 2024, but aside from shooing off other suitors, if there’s anyone that’s deserving of a new deal it’s their current player of the season.
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Although an agreement is yet to be reached and negotiations are likely in their early stages, sources say United are comfortable with Rashford’s situation and that both parties want a new contract.
Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
Sport
Details released of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners while Mayor
Emily Sergeant
Details of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester have been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed on the situation a little first, Manchester City was found guilty back in September all of its charges related to the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and on top of that, was also found guilty of the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City had arranged so-called ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors.
These were part of a disguised funding scheme – with those sponsors only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The remainder was then funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club.
The Commission also concluded, as quoted by the Premier League, that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation’.
Within the past week or so, it has since come to light that now-Prime Minister Andy Burnham had dealings with Manchester City during his tenure as Greater Manchester Mayor, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has now issued a public statement, giving details on the matter and what these ‘dealings’ entailed.
A spokesperson for GMCA confirmed that Burnham had a ‘formal meeting’ with Man City Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, back in October 2021.
The statement reads in full: “In October 2021, Andy Burnham, in his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester, had a formal meeting with Khaldoon Al Mubarak at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit arranged by the Department for International Trade.
“In his capacity as Mayor, he was a guest of Manchester City FC at home matches on a small number of occasions, including attending Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match in September 2019, where he met the Chairman informally in the stands. These have been declared in the usual way.
“Also during his time as Mayor, representatives of Greater Manchester sporting clubs would routinely join business delegations as part of Mayoral international visits.
“This included representatives from Manchester United travelling to Austin and Dublin, Lancashire Cricket Club joining a delegation to India, and Manchester City FC staff supporting visits to China and Japan.”
Featured Image – Lauren Hurley / Number 10 Downing Street (Press Image via Flickr)
Danny Jones -
17th January 2023 
