"Marcus Rashford... How's your bottle?"
It's now been four years since Manchester United pulled off an astonishing Champions League comeback to stun Paris Saint-Germain with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the wheel. Thanks to Rashford's sweetly struck penalty in injury time, then-interim boss Solskjaer got the job on permanent basis and a new era dawned at Old Trafford - only for it to be another false one.
As for the last-gasp hero, with ice in his veins that night at the Parc des Princes, it's been a different story and he remains a Red Devil.
At 21, Rashford was still a rough diamond and took another step towards stardom by slamming past legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. The England international went on to score against PSG a year later during a group-stage win for Solskjaer and co, but his connections to the French capital run even deeper and haven't completely disappeared during his red-hot run of form in 2023.
Despite his love for United as an academy graduate and boyhood fan, Rashford's future at Old Trafford remains undecided and those in Paris are monitoring his situation. ESPN claim that the player's representatives even met with PSG officials last August to discuss a potential move.
At that stage, Rashford - now 25 - was entering the final 12 months of his deal with the Red Devils, who weren't yet up and running under Erik ten Hag. Since the summer rebuild and subsequent trophy-winning campaign, however, United have triggered a one-year extension clause which means that their No.10 is tied down until June 2024.
It's no secret that PSG have long admired Rashford, with president Nasser Al-Khelaifi declaring publicly during the World Cup that his club be interested in signing the striker. "He's a player that is really amazing," Al-Khelaifi proclaimed to Sky Sports. "And for free? To have Rashford for free, every club would run after him, definitely.
"We're not hiding it, we spoke before and… interest. But the moment was not a good moment for both sides. Maybe, summer, why not? Today if he's a free agent of course we can talk to him directly but we are not going to talk to him now. Let him focus on the World Cup. Then after in January, hopefully, if we're interested we will talk to him."
As a result of Rashford's contract being extended until the end of next season, PSG weren't officially allowed to make direct contact with the 25-year-old during the January transfer window. Aside from that stumbling block, Rashford seems to have boast a good relationship one of the Parisians' star players and now their all-time top goalscorer: Kylian Mbappe.
When Rashford missed his crucial penalty in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley, Mbappe messaged him to offer words of comfort and support, the Athletic claim. After all, the PSG superstar had also missed a spot-kick earlier in the tournament which saw his France dumped out in the round of 16, and he knew the level of abuse that Rashford would sadly face - even sickening racism.
Mbappe was perhaps returning the favour, though, as on that memorable March night in 2019, Rashford classily walked over to the distraught Frenchman and commiserated him rather than just revelling in victory as so many would do. The two forwards seem to click even when they're opponents, and United boss Ten Hag thinks the duo can be compared thanks to their similar playing styles.
"I believe when Marcus's positioning is on the back of the defending line, there is almost no better player in the world," the Red Devils manager affirmed in December. "There is Mbappe in this moment, a type like him. But when [Rashford] is getting in that position [on the back of the defensive line], he's great and you see he's really improved also out of possession."
Ten Hag has also responded to transfer interest in Rashford, sending a message to PSG that he won't be taken from United easily. "I think he understands Man United is his club, that’s first but also, in this environment, in this team, I think he is playing his best football," the Dutchman stated.
"He is improving and that is about him because he's working on the good things. He is giving 100 percent energy and he has a good plan and I think also in this team he can bring his qualities. So this team can help him be in the right position and to score goals, which he is good at."
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So while the Old Trafford faithful can enjoy Rashford's form for now, the looming question over his uncertain future remains. According to the Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils hierarchy are confident that they'll be able to come to an agreement with their current poster boy before clubs like PSG can begin sniffing around.
A new deal for Rashford would see an increase on his reported £200,000-a-week salary, although United chiefs are reluctant to break the £300,000 barrier. If Ten Hag and co can't get him to sign on the dotted line before July, expect the Parisians to put the feelers out once more.
