Marcus Rashford has been offered a breakout route from Manchester United by the Saudi Pro League, who have reportedly put the forward on their wish list of 'elite targets'.
Rashford looks set to end his 20-year spell at Old Trafford in January after his impressive interview confirmed he wants to leave the club.
The 27-year-old was dropped from United's squad on Sunday ahead of their 2-1 win over rivals Manchester City and appears to be out of favor under boss Ruben Amorim.
Rashford has been at the club since he was seven, but told journalist Henry Winter he is looking for a “new challenge” after seeing his form deteriorate rapidly at United.
Amorim insisted he wanted Rashford to stay and claimed the England star had the “biggest challenge” ahead of him, but Saudi clubs are now expected to test United's resolve for the player, according to the Telegraph.
Rashford would prefer a move to a club in Europe, but the riches that the Saudi Pro League has to offer could certainly see him attract attention, given that not many clubs would be willing to pay his £40 million price tag and to be paid a weekly wage of £325,000.
Saudi football chiefs are already after Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, but a move for Rashford would be seen as ambitious, with officials unfazed by the money they will have to spend.
Rashford is being monitored by the four biggest Saudi clubs Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, the report claims, while Al-Qadsiah is also said to be interested.
Any move would bring complications as Saudi teams have a quota of eight foreign players at one club, while Al-Ittihad already exceeds that threshold. If Rashford were to sign for a Saudi club, he would join big names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar and N'Golo Kante in the division.
A Saudi transfer for Rashford is more likely to happen in the summer, the report continues, with the Pro League having already started its winter break. A move to a European club with an option to buy could be the most likely option with Rashford's future at United looking bleak.
He was not seen in United's squad as they left Manchester for their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham on Thursday, although Alejandro Garnacho – who was also left out of the City game – was in attendance. Amorim is said to be unimpressed by Rashford's public statement and wishes he had kept his feelings private.
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