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    Man Utd, Arsenal & Chelsea transfer target ‘available for £43m from summer as Bundesliga star’s release clause leaked’

    SEVERAL of the Premier League’s top clubs have been put on high alert after Benjamin Sesko’s alleged release clause was revealed.The 20-year-old arrived at RB Leipzig last summer from their Austrian sister club RB Salzburg.
    Sesko is one of Europe’s most highly rated young forwardsCredit: Getty
    His rapid progression from the Austrian league to the Bundesliga has naturally drawn comparisons with Erling Haaland, given they both made their names at Salzburg before big Bundesliga moves.
    Sesko started the season rapidly with a goal on both his Bundesliga and Champions League debuts for Leipzig.
    His debut goal in the Champions League made him the club’s youngest player to score in Europe, at just 20 years and 111 days old.
    The goals have become less consistent of late, which is natural for a youngster acclimatising to one of Europe’s top leagues.
    READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
    Sky Sports Germany report that the forward will be available for a bargain £43million this summer due to the way his transfer to Leipzig was constructed.
    As part of Leipzig signing Sesko for £20.4m in the summer with £5m in add-ons, the cheap release clause was added this summer as a ‘compromise’ in the deal.
    Chelsea have previously been linked to a summer deal for Sesko, with the Blues seeing the Slovenian as a cheaper option to their long-term target, Victor Osimhen.
    As a stop-gap until then the club appear to be chasing Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran, who has rarely featured for Unai Emery’s side this season.
    Most read in Football
    Sesko is finding his feet at LeipzigCredit: The Sun
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    Arsenal in the past have also seen Sesko as a viable alternative to Ivan Toney, and will wait until the summer to sign a forward anyway.
    United were heavily linked with Sesko in the summer when they opted to sign Rasmus Hojlund instead.
    However, it is well known that the Red Devils remain in the market for a no9 as competition for the Hojlund. More

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    Fears for Marcus Rashford after boozing, split from childhood sweetheart and ‘warning’ from Ten Hag

    IT WAS only last summer that striker Marcus ­Rashford had the world at his feet — but critics say he’s now out of control.The boyhood Manchester United fan had just signed a new five-year, £325,000-a-week contract running until 2028 — giving him a guaranteed £84.5million in salary.
    For the first time, Marcus Rashford’s Old Trafford future is being seriously questioned by fans and critics after he went out clubbing the night before training and rang in sickCredit: Getty
    The news of Rashford’s split with his fiance Lucia Loi, his childhood sweetheart, after he was pictured walking back into a Miami hotel with personal trainer Courtney CaldwellCredit: Getty
    Marcus now faces some time off the pitch as he tries to regain Ten Hag’s trust and simplify his life away from footballCredit: Getty
    All he had to do was keep ­performing on the pitch.
    Smiling for the camera with boss Erik ten Hag, he said at the time: “I will give everything to help the team reach the level we are capable of. I couldn’t be more excited for the future under this manager.”
    But for the first time, his Old Trafford future is being seriously questioned by fans and critics after he went out clubbing the night before training and rang in sick.
    Ex-Premier League star and BBC pundit Chris Sutton yesterday told the It’s All Kicking Off podcast: “He thinks he’s untouchable.
    READ MORE ON MARCUS RASHFORD
    “This hasn’t been the first time he’s had a misdemeanour. It’s been continuous. He has no respect for the manager and no respect for his teammates. That’s the bottom line.
    “He’s probably thinking he is going to outlast Ten Hag, but he’s out of control as far as I can see.”
    Fellow BBC pundit and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer added: “Something is wrong — either at home or in his relationship with the club.
    “He can’t keep doing this, he can’t keep wasting his talent. He needs strong management, someone to get hold of him and tell him there’ll be huge regrets come the end of his career if he continues doing this.”
    Most read in Football
     Rashford’s latest actions have presented a huge challenge for disciplinarian Ten Hag, who has already put his foot down with stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho and forced them out of the club.
    The only thing that may save his longer-term future at the club is a heartfelt apology to the Dutchman and the fact United are in dire need of attacking options.
    An Instagram apology to the fans will no doubt follow and a promise to improve on his total of four goals in 26 appearances this season.
    But the signs of a troubled life off the pitch were there before United announced in July last year that the 26-year-old had signed a new deal after a superb season saw him score 30 goals in 56 games.
    A month earlier, The Sun told how Rashford had split with his fiancée Lucia Loi, his sweetheart from school. The news emerged after he was seen walking into a Miami hotel with personal trainer Courtney Caldwell during a holiday.
    Rashford then appeared to be among players warned by Ten Hag ahead of this season that they needed to live their life right, on and off the pitch.
    He said: “When you are not living the right life, you get killed. What is important? Sleep, recovery, nutrition. Three key areas and when you don’t do this right, you can’t perform.
    “So when you ask me about Rashford, the same also counts for Rapha Varane and for every player. You will not reach the levels when you don’t do the things right.”
    When asked directly, “Is there a concern that Marcus or any other player has a problem with their lifestyle?”, Ten Hag refused to take a backwards step.
    He responded: “In general, when I came in at Man United, the standards were not right. That’s true.
    “I demand the highest standards in sleep, recovery and nutrition because that makes the difference if you can perform every third or fourth day. At Man United we are demanding the highest standards.”
    Rashford should not have been surprised by the warning as Ten Hag previously dropped him from the starting line-up against Wolves in December 2022 for being late for a team meeting.
    He responded by coming on as a sub and scoring the winner, and later insisted in an interview he understood the decision.
    He said: “I never made a thing out of it because if I was a coach, I’d have done the same.”
    But in June, 2023, his personal life was being questioned when he was spotted in Malibu, California, with American Caldwell and Love Island’s Natalia Zoppa.
    And three months later, he pranged his £700,000 Rolls-Royce.
    Then, in October 2023, he incurred Ten Hag’s wrath again when he decided to go out to ­Chinawhite nightclub in Manchester to celebrate his birthday after United were beaten 3-0 by rivals Man City.
    Ten Hag later said: “I spoke with him about it. It’s unacceptable. He apologised and that is it. For us it’s an internal matter. He’s very motivated to put things right.” That night out came nine days after his brother Dane was arrested on holiday with his partner in Miami on suspicion of battery.
    The Rashford family closed ranks but Dane’s mugshot emerged online the following month — causing a split between Dane and Marcus’ other brother Dwaine Maynard, who looks after his career.
    A source said: “The arrest was embarrassing and has caused a lot of problems within the family. Marcus is firmly in the middle of it and trying to keep everyone happy, which is making him unhappy.” Dane has since been cleared of any wrongdoing.
    But the Rashford family were dealt a further blow when a cousin passed away, with Marcus paying tribute to him by looking up to the sky after scoring. Marcus now has to regain Ten Hag’s trust and simplify his life away from football.
    Many fans are baffled how it has gone so wrong for the footballer, who could do no wrong in the public’s eyes early on in his career.
    He earned widespread praise for his charity work and campaigning on food poverty. This led to him being awarded an MBE in 2020, when he was 22. He successfully lobbied the Government during the pandemic to U-turn on its policy of stopping free school meals for primary kids at the summer holidays.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    And his motivational children’s book You Are A Champion won Book Of The Year in 2022.
    The star was snapped partying with pals in Malibu, CaliforniaCredit: Apex
    The star was involved in a late night crash in his £700,00 Rolls-RoyceCredit: Ketts News – The Sun More

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    Downing tequila, falling into bed fully clothed then calling in sick to Man Utd… inside Marcus Rashford’s 12-hour bender

    MARCUS Rashford went on a 12-hour tequila bender before passing out at 3am, then called in sick hours later.The Manchester United striker, 26, was axed for last Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Newport County after missing training following two days of boozing in Belfast.
    Marcus Rashford went on a 12-hour tequila bender before passing out at 3am, the ace in Northern Ireland before his bingeCredit: Twitter
    Marcus Rashford posed for picture with a restaurant worker on Thursday at 4:22pm
    Rashford went for drinks at Lavery’s after arriving in Belfast on Wednesday evening
    A waitress who joined the Manchester United ace on his booze bender told last night how he was “on a mission to get drunk”.
    She said the sloshed striker downed tequila shots and cocktails before collapsing on a hotel bed fully clothed just before 3am.
    Rashford had spent two days partying on a visit to Belfast to see a pal, and got a 7am private jet back to Manchester on Friday.
    But he then rang in sick for training and was later fined £650,000 — two weeks’ wages — and dropped from the FA Cup tie at Newport County last Sunday.
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    He was pictured yesterday morning arriving at training ahead of showdown talks with United bosses.
    Belfast waitress Sarah Adair, 30, told last night how she had served the footballer lunch before he invited her to party with him.
    She claimed they then had a “weird” night out which ended with her having to put him to bed after he drunkenly dropped huge wads of cash on the floor.
    Sarah said: “I’m not surprised he missed training the next day given how late he got to bed and how much he’d had to drink. He must’ve known he wasn’t going to be in any fit state to play football.”
    Most read in Football
    The mum of one was working on Thursday afternoon when a two-man security team came in and asked for a discreet table for a “high-profile” VIP party.
    At first Sarah thought it could be a famous actor such as James Nesbitt or Jamie Dornan because the city is a hotbed for filming.
    When Rashford walked in, she did not recognise him and only realised he was a footballer when her United-mad manager told her.
    She said: “He was with two men and two women. One was clearly a friend and the other girl was French and very beautiful.
    “She seemed to be with Marcus because of how they interacted. She was touching his knee and he was touching her arm, but you could tell from the conversation they didn’t know each other that well. It was like he’d just met her.”
    Earlier Rashford had visited Larne FC after his footballer pal Ro-Shaun Williams signed for the Northern Irish club.
    As Sarah served the group, Rashford also told how he had visited the Dirty Onion bar and Lavery’s pub the night before after flying into the city.
    He ordered sea bass then asked her where was good to go out, adding: “You should come out with us and show us around.”
    Meanwhile, Sarah’s manager politely asked Rashford’s minders if he could have a picture with him, but they refused as he was on a “business trip”. They also declined Sarah’s request to sign an autograph for her uncle.
    Sarah said Rashford did not touch his food and was more interested in what tequila was on offer as he and his pals downed shots and drank cocktails.
    He eventually relented on his picture ban and posed for a snap, as long as Sarah’s manager allowed her to leave early so she could hook up with them later.
    Sarah said: “I thought he was joking. My boss agreed.”
    She went on: “I’ve never been out with a Premier League footballer before so I thought, ‘Why not?’. Little did I know how weird it would be.”
    Before leaving, Rashford asked Sarah if she knew of any nightclubs which would stay open later than the usual 3am closing time if he paid them enough cash.
    She said: “That made it clear to me that he had already made his mind up that he wasn’t going to training on Friday. He had no plans to go home that night.”
    Sarah finished her shift early at 5pm and went home before returning to the city centre at around 7pm.
    She messaged Rashford’s minder as arranged but was left sitting in a bar on her own for nearly three hours before a Mercedes van pulled up at 9.40pm, and a security guard collected her.
    She was asked to hand over her phone and not reveal who she was with or where she was going, although she was allowed to tell her mum.
    The taxi took Sarah to the Villa Italia restaurant where Rashford was with his entourage and two other local women who had also been invited out.
    Sarah said Rashford had booked out the top floor and brought his own Bluetooth speaker so he could play his favourite rap music.
    He was dressed all in white with a diamond-encrusted watch on each wrist along with six or seven silver diamond chains and two diamond rings. He also had two identical iPhones on the table.
    She said Rashford had also brought his own bottle of tequila. Sarah recalled: “I pulled up a chair and sat next to him and we all chatted.
    “Marcus was confident but also seemed a bit shy. It’s as though he doesn’t really know who he is. He gives out the vibe he thinks, ‘I’m a footballer, I’ve got loads of money and can do whatever I want’. His friends treated him like he was a god.”
    Sarah said Rashford ordered bruschetta but did not touch it as he does not like tomatoes with seeds in.
    She said the star, who was only eating bread, told her: “I’ve been drinking all day.”
    Sarah added: “They were still drinking tequila and passing around a bottle of Patron and he also ordered a round of limoncello. He was clearly on a mission to get drunk.”
    She said one of Rashford’s friends reminded him he had training in the morning, but the player said he wanted to go out.
    When one of the girls mentioned Thompson’s Garage nightclub as a place to visit, Rashford asked if they thought the DJ would let him play his own music.
    Once dinner was over, the group split into girls and boys and they travelled in separate cars to Thompson’s, where clubbers captured the moment Rashford arrived.
    The group then headed to a private area called The Attic and ordered yet more drinks. Rashford and the French girl are later said to have argued after she accused him of kissing another woman.
    Sarah Adair told how she had served the footballer lunch before he invited her to party with himCredit: Pacemaker
    The ace visited Lavery’s in BelfastCredit: Pacemaker
    This picture was posted online of Man Utd’s Rashford at Larne FC, on Thursday at 1:06pm
    The footie ace headed to a nightclub on Friday at 00:30am following an afternoon sessionCredit: Instagram
    ACE RASH’S TIPPLES TIMELINE
    WEDNESDAY JAN 24
    9.55am: Rashford arrives for Man United training.4.21pm: Private jet leaves Manchester.5.17pm: Plane lands at Belfast International airport. Rashford checks into the Fitzwilliam Hotel and visits the Dirty Onion and Lavery’s bar.
    THURSDAY JAN 25
    1.06pm: Picture posted online of Rashford at Larne FC.2pm: Arrives at Sarah’s restaurant.4.30pm: Leaves restaurant.9.40pm: Rashford sends a driver to bring Sarah to Villa Italia restaurant.
    FRIDAY JAN 26
    00.30am: Rashford filmed going into Thompson’s Garage nightclub.2am: Rashford leaves and the group go back to his hotel — although a source close to the player insists it was at 1.15am.2.50am: The star passes out fully dressed.5am: Rashford and his minders leave hotel.7am: Private jet leaves Belfast airport.8am: Plane touches down at Manchester airport.
    SUNDAY JAN 28
    Rashford is dropped from FA Cup game against Newport County. United boss Erik ten Hag says Rashford’s behaviour is an “internal matter” and he will “deal” with it.
    MONDAY JAN 298.45am: Rashford arrives for training.

    Sarah told The Sun: “She said to me, ‘I’m so angry because he thinks he can do what he wants’.”
    Last night a source close to Rashford insisted the striker left the club at 1.15am.
    But Sarah says the group partied until shortly after 2am when Rashford’s pals and security decided the footballer was too drunk and needed to go to bed.
    As they all left, another clubber filmed Rashford leaving, with a minder heard saying to them: “You’re gonna get him in trouble.”
    The group then headed back to the five-star Fitzwilliam Hotel where Rashford was staying in the £1,500-a-night residence suite.
    Sarah went up with others but his French companion could be heard shouting and trying to get in. Sarah claimed Rashford then gathered the woman’s belongings and dumped them outside, with security shepherding her away.
    She said: “I said to Marcus to go out and speak to her and he just said, ‘No, I don’t care’.
    “He was so drunk at this point that he picked up his own bag and dropped it and all this cash fell out. It was all £20 notes and big wads of it. I reckon there was between £8,000 and £10,000 cash.
    “Then he falls back into the wall and I have to kind of scoop him up and on to the bed. He was fully dressed and I reckon he just passed out like that. He didn’t even get under the covers.”
    One of Rashford’s pals told Sarah that she could sleep in another room, which she did, waking at 9.30am. She then messaged his minder and asked what time she needed to go.
    He told her that Rashford and his team had gone at 5am, and asked her if she had left anything in his room as they had not done “a sweep”.
    Sarah said last night that she was not surprised the footballer has since got into trouble, adding: “He was clearly on a mission to have a big night.
    “It’s not like it wasn’t planned from the start. I don’t know how he didn’t realise he would be caught out.
    “Everyone was taking pictures of him during the night out.” The source close to Rashford claimed the star returned to the hotel at 1.15am, did not drink cocktails and had less than £1,000 in cash.
    Yesterday Rashford and his agent brother Dwaine met with manager Erik ten Hag and United’s director of football John Murtough for showdown talks.
    A source added: “Marcus accepts his standards have fallen well short of what is expected.”
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    Last night the club said: “Marcus has taken responsibility for his actions. This has been dealt with as an internal disciplinary matter, which is now closed.”
    Rashford walked towards the club door with his entourage on Friday at 00:31am
    Rashford’s pal put an arm around him as they entered the club on Friday at 00:32am
    Player was pictured inside the club on Friday at 00:55am as the session continued
    Rashford stayed in the Residence suiteCredit: Fitzwilliam Hotel
    Rashford arrived for showdown talks on Monday at 8:45amCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
    The striker was axed from last Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Newport County after missing trainingCredit: Getty More

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    Man Utd says Marcus Rashford ‘has taken responsibility’ after partying & missing training claiming he was ill

    MARCUS Rashford “has taken responsibility” for partying and missing training, Manchester United said. It was revealed on Saturday that the star, 26, had been enjoying back-to-back midweek nights out in Belfast.
    Marcus Rashford has ‘taken responsibility’Credit: Getty
    He missed Friday training saying he was illCredit: Getty
    He missed Friday training saying he was ill and did not play in the 4-2 FA Cup win at Newport County.
    The Manchester United ace was said to have been facing a fine of two weeks’ wages of £650,000 as a result.
    The club last night said the matter was now closed.
    It said in a statement: “Marcus has taken responsibility for his actions.
    Read more on football
    “This has been dealt with as an internal disciplinary matter, which is now closed.”
    The England star, who is on £325,000 a week, flew to Ireland on Wednesday to see pal Ro-Shaun Williams, who plays for Larne FC.
    He was pictured in Lavery’s Bar that evening ahead of a planned day off.
    ACE RASH’S TIPPLES TIMELINE
    WEDNESDAY JAN 24
    9.55am: Rashford arrives for Man United training.4.21pm: Private jet leaves Manchester.5.17pm: Plane lands at Belfast International airport. Rashford checks into the Fitzwilliam Hotel and visits the Dirty Onion and Lavery’s bar.
    THURSDAY JAN 25
    1.06pm: Picture posted online of Rashford at Larne FC.2pm: Arrives at Sarah’s restaurant.4.30pm: Leaves restaurant.9.40pm: Rashford sends a driver to bring Sarah to Villa Italia restaurant.
    FRIDAY JAN 26
    00.30am: Rashford filmed going into Thompson’s Garage nightclub.2am: Rashford leaves and the group go back to his hotel — although a source close to the player insists it was at 1.15am.2.50am: The star passes out fully dressed.5am: Rashford and his minders leave hotel.7am: Private jet leaves Belfast airport.8am: Plane touches down at Manchester airport.
    SUNDAY JAN 28
    Rashford is dropped from FA Cup game against Newport County. United boss Erik ten Hag says Rashford’s behaviour is an “internal matter” and he will “deal” with it.
    MONDAY JAN 298.45am: Rashford arrives for training.

    A waitress who says she partied with him the following evening has now given an insight into how Thursday night unfolded.
    Most read in Football
    Sarah Adair claimed the striker downed tequila shots and cocktails before collapsing on a hotel bed fully clothed just before 3am.
    She claimed they then had a “weird” night out which ended with her having to put him to bed after he drunkenly dropped huge wads of cash on the floor.
    Sarah said: “I’m not surprised he missed training the next day given how late he got to bed and how much he’d had to drink. He must’ve known he wasn’t going to be in any fit state to play football.”
    “He must’ve known he wasn’t going to be in any fit state to play football.”
    Yesterday Rashford and his agent brother Dwaine met with manager Erik ten Hag and United’s director of football John Murtough for showdown talks.
    A source added: “Marcus accepts his standards have fallen well short of what is expected.”
    The Manchester United star was said to have been out nightclubbing in Belfast last weekCredit: Getty
    The 26-year-old was yesterday seen turning up to Manchester United trainingCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke More

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    Man Utd and Chelsea ‘linked with late transfer swoop for Barcelona flop’ who’s worth a staggering £216m

    CHELSEA and Manchester United are both keen on signing former Barcelona star Martin Braithwaite.The clubs both need to strengthen their forward lines and are battling it out to bring the Espanyol striker to the Premier League.
    Chelsea and Manchester United are keen to sign Espanyol striker Martin BraithwaiteCredit: Rex
    The January transfer window comes to an end on Thursday at 11pm.
    And Braithwaite – who is also a successful businessman with a £216m empire – could end up being a last-minute signing.
    The 32-year-old is the top scorer in the Spanish second division this season with 11 goals.
    Espanyol sit fifth in the table and are in the fight for an immediate promotion back to La Liga.
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    However, an unusual detail in the striker’s contract means Chelsea and United would prefer to sign him this summer.
    He currently has a £6million release clause in his contract, which expires next summer.
    But should Espanyol get promoted, he will be able to leave for free.
    If the club remains in the second tier the forward will be worth £500,000.
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    Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag needs to add firepower up front, with neither Marcus Rashford or Rasmus Hojlund reaching ten goals yet this season.
    The Blues are still in a transition period, with Mauricio Pochettino’s misfiring side stumbling to a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on Friday.
    Braithwaite’s hopes of making Denmark’s Euro 2024 squad would be boosted if he can secure top-flight football.
    The Dane was at Barcelona for two-and-a-half years, scoring ten goals in 58 games.
    But he was released by the Catalan giants after he reportedly refused to have his contract mutually terminated, leading to claims he held Barca to “ransom”. More

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    Man Utd and Chelsea on transfer red alert with Barcelona ‘enormously concerned’ about Jules Kounde and ‘ready to sell’

    BARCELONA are open to selling defender Jules Kounde as they look to fall in line with FFP regulations.The defender has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Chelsea in the past, and both could be on alert with the defender on the market in January.
    Kounde is free to leave BarcelonaCredit: Rex
    United have struggled at centre-back this season, with Raphael Varane’s form seeing him drop to fifth choice at times despite being first pick last year.
    Harry Maguire has undergone a career renaissance this season after looking certain to leave last summer – but his future is also unclear.
    Lisandro Martinez has also missed most of the season with injury.
    The extent of United’s injury issues is dominated by the fact that Jonny Evans, 36, has featured 17 times for the club this season.
    READ MORE ON TRANSFERS
    Kounde, 25, joined Barcelona in the summer of 2022 and played an integral part of their title victory last season.
    But he has struggled to replicate that form this season, and was responsible for two of the goals Barca shipped in their 4-2 defeat to Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey.
    United were tentatively linked with the defender last summer amid rumours he was unsettled at the Camp Nou.
    Chelsea were also close to signing Kounde last season, reportedly agreeing a deal to sign the defender last year.
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    Kounde is seen as expendable by BarcelonaCredit: The Sun
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    Ultimately, the player chose Barca, but Chelsea could now make a move for Kounde again.
    According to Spanish outlet Sport, there are “enormous concerns” surrounding Kounde’s form.
    The report also states that the club would be willing to listen to offers for former Chelsea star Andreas Christensen.
    A fee has not been reported but Barcelona signed Kounde for £42.5million and would be looking to recoup as much of that as possible. More

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    Man Utd ace Marcus Rashford facing £650k fine for partying and missing training saying he was ill

    ENGLAND striker Marcus Rashford is facing a fine of two weeks’ wages of £650,000 for partying and missing training.The Man United ace will be disciplined after apparently enjoying back-to-back midweek nights out in Belfast.
    Marcus Rashford is facing a fine of £650,000 for partying and missing trainingCredit: Getty
    The ace will be disciplined after apparently enjoying back-to-back midweek nights outCredit: Getty
    He missed Friday training saying he was ill.
    Yesterday Rashford, 26, did not play in the 4-2 FA Cup win at Newport County.
    Boss Erik ten Hag said: “It’s an internal matter. I will deal with it.”
    Earlier, United said Rashford “is not well enough to be in the squad following illness; he has stayed at Carrington to train as he recovers”.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    Rashford, who is on £325,000 a week, flew to Belfast on Wednesday to see pal Ro-Shaun Williams, who plays for Larne FC.
    Footage appears to show Rashford at Thompson’s Garage club on Thursday. It is claimed he told United it was from Wednesday.
    Video obtained by The Athletic later suggested he partied on both nights.
    A source said: “When it was first suggested Marcus had missed training because he had been out the night before, he denied it.
    Most read in Football
    “It’s amazing that he thought he could go to a club full of people and claim it didn’t happen.
    “The manager will feel very let down.”
    In November, ten Hag criticised Rashford for going clubbing after a 3-0 defeat by arch rivals Man City.
    In 2022, he was dropped after he was late for a team meeting. More

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    Man Utd legend David De Gea ‘closing in’ on return to football after six months unemployed

    FORMER Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is reportedly closing in on a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab.The 33-year-old has been without a club since leaving Old Trafford in June.
    David de Gea is in talks with Al-ShababCredit: AFP
    Newcastle, Real Betis, Al-Nassr and Bayern Munich were allegedly among the clubs interested in signing him last year.
    However, De Gea is now on the verge of a return to football.
    According to the Daily Mail, the Spaniard is in talks to join Al-Shabab.
    The Saudi Pro League side are also pushing to sign Ivan Rakitic from Sevilla and Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron.
    Read More on Football
    Rakitic was left out of Sevilla’s squad today while he prepares to complete the switch.
    He underwent a medical this morning and is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia next week.
    Meanwhile, Newcastle are willing to let Almiron leave St James’ Park this month.
    The Magpies need to sell players before buying in order to comply with Financial Fair Play rules.
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    Almiron is understood to be open to the move.
    Hakim Ziyech, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Chelsea, is another name on Al-Shabab’s transfer shortlist. More