Manchester United have triggered contract extensions for four of their players - including England duo Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw.
Rashford, Shaw, Diogo Dalot and Fred have all had one-year extensions on their existing contracts activated by Man United. The quartet would have been free to open pre-contract talks with foreign clubs from January 1 had the clauses not been activated before the turn of the year.
The contracts of all four were due to expire on July 1, but United have moved to protect their market value by triggering the option for a further 12 months on each deal.
Rashford, who scored three goals for England at the World Cup, had attracted interest from Paris St Germain, whose president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, went public with their interest in the forward.
But United's move to extend Rashford's deal until the summer of 2024 has headed off that issue for the time being, while Shaw and Dalot have emerged as Erik ten Hag's first-choice full-backs.
Shaw lost his status as United's first-choice left-back to summer signing Tyrell Malacia at the start of the season but has since reclaimed it, while Dalot has usurped Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back.
Fred has started just four Premier League games this season, losing out to new midfield arrivals Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, but remains a player valued by Ten Hag.
United are also understood to have also opened talks with representatives of goalkeeper David De Gea, whose current £375,000-a-week deal is set to expire in the summer.
De Gea, 32, has claimed he would like to finish his top-level career at United, who are keen to tie the 32-year-old to a new long-term deal, rather than trigger a one-year extension like the others.
Overlooked by Spain for the World Cup, De Gea has made 507 appearances for United over an 11-year spell at Old Trafford and saw off the challenge of Dean Henderson, now on loan at Nottingham Forest.
Rashford, 25, has regained his form this term, scoring eight goals already for United – three more than he managed in the whole of last season.
PSG chief Al-Khelaifi said earlier this month the French champions would move to sign Rashford on a free transfer if United failed to exercise their additional 12-month option, which they have now done.
