Rashford's £325k wages complicate Fernandes contract talks as Pochettino prepares Man Utd arrival

Manchester United are planning to activate a one-year extension clause in Bruno Fernandes’s contract before the New Year, but Marcus Rashford’s wage packet is creating a significant complication in negotiations with the club’s most important player.

Fernandes, widely regarded as United’s best player, is currently earning £75,000 per week less than Rashford, whose salary stands at approximately £325,000 a week. The Portuguese midfielder has been seeking improved terms for some time, and United have already seen two contract offers rejected. With Fernandes out of contract next summer, the club intends to trigger the automatic extension clause before January to prevent him from entering pre-agreement talks with foreign clubs.

The move would also give United additional time to either negotiate a longer deal or, if no agreement can be reached, sell Fernandes in the summer transfer window. Rashford’s lofty earnings, however, are likely to set a benchmark that raises the stakes in any renewed offer to the 32-year-old captain.

Rashford himself has had a turbulent couple of seasons at Old Trafford. After falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim, the England forward spent the back end of 2025/26 on loan at Aston Villa before joining Barcelona for the entirety of last season. New head coach Michael Carrick reintegrated him into the first team over the summer, but a hip injury has sidelined Rashford for United’s last six matches, leaving him collecting his substantial wages from the sidelines.

Interest in Fernandes from elsewhere is not new. Al Hilal and Galatasaray have both made approaches in recent years with lucrative offers, but United have consistently resisted, insisting the midfielder remains central to their long-term plans.

Incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino could prove a key figure in resolving the situation. The Argentine, who arrives at Old Trafford next week, was appointed after United sacked Carrick on Thursday following a dismal start to the Premier League season that has left the club 18th in the table. Pochettino departed his role with the United States national team to return to English football, where he previously built his reputation at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea.

How quickly Pochettino can stabilise results — and whether his presence can help convince Fernandes to commit his future to the club — will be among the most pressing questions of his early tenure.