AS Roma are demanding around €60 million for the France international, a figure Manchester United have been reluctant to meet in full, and Rashford's name has been discussed as a way of bridging the gap after his loan move to Barcelona was not made permanent.
Barcelona held a €30 million option to sign Rashford outright following his loan spell, during which he scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists in 49 appearances, but the Spanish champions chose not to exercise it. Rashford is now back at Old Trafford with his long-term future uncertain, having attracted interest from several clubs across Europe.
Any deal involving Roma would face a significant obstacle in his salary, reported to be around €11 million net per season, a figure well beyond what the Italian club could match without Manchester United continuing to cover a substantial portion of his wages, most likely through a loan structure.
Manchester United have already added Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos to their midfield this summer and see Koné as a third and final addition to that department, but contact with the player's representatives, while described as positive, has not yet translated into an agreed fee with Roma.
United's other injury and fitness news is less encouraging. Matthijs de Ligt will not be fit for the start of the new season, according to Dutch outlet Voetbal Primeur, with the centre-back's recovery from back surgery taking longer than the club had initially hoped.
De Ligt has not featured for United since November 2025 and underwent surgery in May, with the club saying at the time he was expected to return "in the early stages" of the 2026-27 campaign.
Voetbal Primeur reports his rehabilitation now points to a return "at some point in the autumn" instead. The 26-year-old made 14 appearances for United last season and has played 56 times in total since joining from Bayern Munich in 2024, leaving Michael Carrick with a reduced pool of senior centre-backs as pre-season continues, with Lisandro Martínez expected to be available from the start of the campaign despite having also been forced off during the World Cup final.