WHOEVER gets to own this football club in the end, the first cheque they have to sign is for Marcus Rashford.
One big enough with a new contract to keep him here for the rest of his career.
In the space of four days in the Nou Camp and at Old Trafford, he backed up both Erik ten Hag and Barcelona boss Xavi’s assertion that right now Rashford is one of the best frontmen in Europe.
His current deal finishes at the end of next season after the option of an extra year was triggered.
Negotiations on a new deal are said to be ‘ongoing’ every time the question is asked, but there will be nervousness amongst the fan base until pen is put to paper.
His figures since the World Cup continue to be staggering but worth repeating every time he finds the net.
Against Leicester his pair of goals make it 16 times in 17 games since returning from the World Cup.
He has already surpassed his best ever season’s total of 22 with 24, and counting, after he put United ahead in the 25th minute and added a second on 56.
A task that seemed to torture him last season now comes with consummate ease, such is the success of the work Ten Hag has done with the England international to restore his confidence.
A year ago he might have handed his chance for the first to Alejandro Garnacho who was screaming for it square in the box.
Rashford can create as well as score as he helped set up the third on 61 minutes – finding Sancho who exchanged passes with the fabulous Fernandes and side-footed a left-foot shot home on the run.
It was his second goal in four appearances, his fitness and confidence restored under Ten Hag’s careful management.
Sancho could have had another, United could have had more.
