Manchester United avoiding Cristiano Ronaldo-style issue with contract renewals

Manchester United are intent on avoiding a Cristiano Ronaldo-style commotion with their squad's salary structure.

Marcus Rashford signed a new five-year contract on a salary of £325,000-a-week to make him the squad's highest earner ahead of Casemiro.

United feel that Rashford's renewal reflects his status as one of the finest attackers in Europe who is approaching the peak years of his career. The 25-year-old's contract is heavily incentivised in relation to performance and success.

Ronaldo rejoined United in 2021 on a weekly salary of £480,000 and United do not want to establish an outlier in the squad's wage structure.

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The 25% reduction Ronaldo took after the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League was one of the issues behind his desire to leave last summer.

The privileges that Ronaldo enjoyed cowed a number of teammates, although Rashford was struggling for form for several months prior to Ronaldo's arrival.

Although discussions over a new deal for Rashford were protracted, well-placed sources insist there was minimal drama during discussions between United football director John Murtough and Rashford's brother and agent, Dwaine Maynard.

Maynard met officials from Paris Saint-Germain last August and a source close to Rashford at the time said the rendezvous was ill-advised.

Rashford's preference had always been to stay at United but he considered his future after interim manager Ralf Rangnick named him on the bench for the March 2022 Manchester derby. Fellow forwards Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood were all absent.

United agreed new terms with Luke Shaw, Alejandro Garnacho and Diogo