Marcus Rashford poised to join Milan as striker flies out to sign deal

AC Milan are preparing to offload forward Noah Okafor to make room in their squad for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, as the 27-year-old edges closer to an Old Trafford exit.

Frozen out by United manager Ruben Amorim, Rashford has openly expressed his desire for a fresh start, saying in December:

"For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps. When I leave, it's going to be 'no hard feelings.' You're not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United."

With offers from Saudi Arabia and Turkey turned down, Rashford has set his sights on remaining in Europe’s top leagues.

AC Milan has emerged as the frontrunner, though negotiations are complicated by Rashford’s £325,000-a-week salary, which runs until June 2028.

Milan are pushing for an initial loan deal but are unwilling to pay even half of his wages, with their top earner, Alvaro Morata, earning just £150,000 per week.

Milan are taking steps to facilitate Rashford’s arrival. According to reports from Italy, Swiss forward Noah Okafor is set to join RB Leipzig on an initial loan deal, which includes a €25 million (£21 million) option to make the move permanent in the summer.

Okafor, who joined Milan from RB Salzburg for €15.5 million (£13 million) in 2023, has been deemed surplus to requirements. His departure would free up a spot in the squad and alleviate the wage bill, paving the way for Rashford’s move.

Manchester United are open to letting Rashford leave, with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe making it clear that every player has a price.

Rashford’s representative and brother, Dane, has been in Italy this week to negotiate the deal.

Despite a challenging season, Rashford has contributed seven goals and three assists in 24 appearances, but he has not featured for United since their 2-1 Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen on December 12.

The January transfer window closes on February 3, leaving Milan and United with limited time to finalize the deal. While Rashford’s exit will mark the end of his journey at his boyhood club, the forward has promised to leave on good terms, stating:

"If I know that a situation is already bad, I'm not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past, and I don't want to be that person. When I leave, I'll make a statement, and it will be from me."

As Milan work to finalize Okafor’s departure and continue negotiations for Rashford, the clock is ticking for both clubs to agree on terms before the transfer deadline.