Man Utd owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe BLOCKS Rashford from joining Prem League rivals

The powerbrokers at Manchester United will NOT allow Marcus Rashford to join another Premier League club this month.

Rashford, 27, admitted he was ready for a new challenge last month, generating interest in his services from all across Europe. But some of United's top-flight rivals have also been weighing up a potential move for the forward.

However, United would not be willing to sanction a domestic switch, as first revealed by The Daily Star. And that is set to leave the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham - all of whom have shown signs of interest in Rashford - bitterly disappointed.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to have no desire to sanction such a move, meaning Rashford is likely to join an overseas club in the coming weeks.

United know they will have to supplement a significant portion of Rashford's £350,000-a-week wages in order to get him off the books in the January transfer window. And Ratcliffe is unwilling to do that and potentially aid a domestic rival in finishing above Manchester United come the end of the season.

Rashford has already received offers from Saudi Arabia and the United States but the player's preference is to remain in Europe.

AC Milan are leading the race to sign him and have held talks with Rashford's representatives. No agreement has been reached, though, with plenty of other clubs also lurking in the background.

Ruben Amorim has hardly used Rashford since taking charge of the club back in November. And he was giving nothing away when he was asked if the forward has already played his last game for the club.

"I don’t know," he said. "I don’t know, we’ll see. He is a player for Manchester United. We’ll see. He has to work. He has to represent this club, and he loves this club, but I have to make choices. [I] already spoke about how I make the choices. So it is what it is.

"So let’s continue. Let’s see the next game. And like I said, I have to make a selection."