OPINION
Tottenham Hotspur have defied expectations this season as they sit on the verge of Champions League qualification for the third season running, and Mauricio Pochettino will have his work cut out to keep the progression going this summer.
Many wrote Spurs off this season as the club temporarily set up shop at Wembley Stadium during the redevelopment of White Hart Lane, but just two losses at their new home all season have put them in a great position.
Pochettino’s men are sitting in fourth place with five games to go in the season, currently holding a seven-point advantage over Chelsea in fifth.
The Argentine will no doubt have many potential summer targets in mind already, and there is one player in particular he should be thinking about moving for.
As reported by The Sun, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is to delay contract talks after falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
The newspaper report that Rashford is carefully considering his future at the club, with his main concern surrounding the possibility of manager Jose Mourinho splashing cash on reinforcements this summer.
Red Devils chiefs are said to be keen to open discussions with the 20-year-old, with the club wanting to reward him with improved terms on his current £70,000-a-week deal.
A source is quoted as saying: “Marcus loves it here but there are concerns with what the boss could do this summer. Everyone is currently on the same page. This is his club, but you never know what is going to happen. United just have a nagging feeling that if they leave it much later into his present deal, they won’t hold all the cards. He is still struggling to make the starting eleven under Jose, so it is likely.”
Knowing Mourinho, it is highly likely that he will be bringing in even more competition for Rashford this summer, and that will open the door to a potential exit for the England international.
Tottenham would be the perfect destination for the striker, with the club having a young squad pushing to take Spurs to the next level at an exciting time in their history.
Rashford would be working under one of the best managers in the country in Pochettino, and would be in a position to make a big difference at an up-and-coming club where he could become a superstar.
He would provide Spurs with the perfect answer to their second striker problems, while he would no doubt be pushing for starts in wider areas too.
Rashford would not come cheap, but not many top players do these days, and Tottenham must swoop for him this summer.
It would be the perfect way to kick off proceedings at the new stadium, and it would help them continue their charge towards major honours in the coming seasons.