"He would thrive in Ligue 1" - Mikael Silvestre backs Manchester United superstar to flourish at PSG if he joins as Kylian Mbappe's replacement
Mikael Silvestre thinks Marcus Rashford will thrive in Ligue 1 if the Manchester United superstar replaces Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
The Parisians are searching for a Mbappe replacement as the France captain bids farewell to the Parc des Princes. The club's all-time top goalscorer is set to leave at the end of the season when his contract expires.
Reports claim that PSG are weighing up a £75 million offer for Rashford as they look to deal with Mbappe's departure. The Red Devils are believed to value the English attacker at £100 million.
Silvestre was asked about Rashford's potential move to the Parc des Princes and he thinks it would be a successful move for the player and the Ligue 1 club. The former Manchester United defender told GGRecon:
"It would be great for PSG, and Ligue 1 in general, if Marcus made the move to Paris and I'm sure he would be successful there if the transfer came to fruition. He would thrive in Ligue 1 if he made the switch and he would play in an exciting team full of young, talented players."
Rashford, 26, has somewhat struggled for form this season after producing the best tally of his career in 2022-23. He bagged 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 games during that campaign but has managed eight goals and six assists in 35 games across competitions this season.
The Parisians' ambitions are to win the UEFA Champions League having failed to do so since their Qatari takeover in 2011.
Silvestre touched on this:
"PSG are a club that are hungry for trophies and they've got ambitions of not only winning the league and the cup, but the Champions League most importantly."
Rashford signed a new long-term deal with Manchester United last summer which expires in 2028. But, PSG are long-term admirers with the club's president Nasser Al-Khelaifi talking up a potential move back in January 2023.
Manchester United's new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe explains why a move for Kylian Mbappe is not feasible
Kylian Mbappe is heavily expected to be joining La Liga giants Real Madrid this summer. He's reportedly been offered a five-year contract worth a staggering €15 million (£12.8 million) per year at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Manchester United were never truly in the race for Mbappe as they look to balance their books at Old Trafford. The club have spent a reported £1.19 billion more on transfers over the past decade than they've recouped through sales, per BBC Sport.
The Red Devils' summer transfer window will be overseen by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team. They completed the purchase of a 27.7% stake in the club and will take over its sporting operations.
Ratcliffe touched on United's transfer plans under his regime. He explained why he'd rather find the next Kylian Mbappe than sign the PSG star (via Evening Standard).
"I'd rather find the next Mbappe, rather than spend a fortune to buy success. It's not that clever to buy Mbappe, anybody could figure that out."
Kylian Mbappe has become one of European football's superstars during his time at the Parc des Princes. He's registered 250 goals and 106 assists in 297 games, winning 14 major trophies and the FIFA World Cup with France in 2018.