Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits AC Milan falling behind in Rashford race amid Barcelona, Juventus interest

AC Milan has joined Barcelona, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund in the race for Marcus Rashford, who is no longer in Ruben Amorim’s plans at Manchester United. However, club legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has acknowledged the challenges of securing the English forward, admitting that Milan is lagging behind in the pursuit.

Now an executive at the club alongside CEO Giorgio Furlani and technical director Geoffrey Moncada, Ibrahimovic addressed Rashford’s potential move in an interview with Sky Sports before Milan’s Serie A match against Cagliari. The Swedish icon confirmed the striker as a target but tempered expectations.

“I know Rashford very well, I played with him when he was young. Now he is a man, he is confirmed as a great footballer. He is a Manchester player, I don’t know if it takes much to convince him, everyone wants to play for Milan,” said Ibrahimovic, who serves as a senior consultant and operative partner.

Despite his praise, Ibrahimovic admitted that no formal discussions have taken place, and that several obstacles might appear for the deal to be sealed: “It is a difficult operation, we haven’t spoken to him yet. Let’s see if we can speak to each other.”

The primary obstacle for AC Milan is Rashford’s salary, reportedly over $350,000 a week. Milan is currently only able to cover around half of that amount, while Manchester United is unwilling to subsidize any portion of the wages. However, Rashford’s personal desire could influence the final decision.

Rashford and Ibrahimovic’s history at Manchester United

Ibrahimovic joined Manchester United as a free agent in 2016, during the early stages of Rashford’s professional career. Alongside Wayne Rooney, Ibrahimovic became a mentor to the rising star. Rashford previously praised the Swedish forward for his leadership and influence.

“We’ve got a lot of world-class players in the team, especially in the forwards like Zlatan and Wayne. For the young lads, we can’t ask for anything better… Zlatan is very easy to speak to and he’s easy to get along with. The way he approaches every game is about winning. He wants to win, regardless of the opponent, whether we are home or away, whatever the odds, he always wants to find a way to win,” Rashford once said about Ibrahimovic.

A crowded race for Rashford

Marcus Rashford’s talent has made him one of the most sought-after players in this transfer window, with interest spanning across Europe and beyond. While AC Milan remains in the mix, several other clubs are pushing harder for his signature.

Fabrizio Romano debunked reports linking Rashford to Serie A side Como and Ligue 1 side Monaco, stating that there are no negotiations or significant approaches from either club. Offers from Saudi Arabia and Galatasaray have surfaced, but Rashford reportedly prefers to remain in Europe with a top-tier club.

Among the serious contenders, Barcelona, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund stand out. All three clubs, currently competing in the UEFA Champions League, have piqued Rashford’s interest. According to Sport, Barcelona are willing to go all out for the forward, having already held direct talks with Rashford’s agent, who traveled to Spain to discuss a potential move.