Man Utd trigger one-year contract extensions for four players

Manchester United have triggered one-year contract extensions for four first-team players, including Diogo Dalot, Fred and Luke Shaw, and England forward Marcus Rashford, manager Erik ten Hag said.

They were all in the final year of their deals but had the option to extend their contracts by 12 months.

Rashford has rediscovered his form this season under new boss Ten Hag, playing 20 matches in all competitions and scoring nine goals. Dalot, Fred and Shaw have also been heavily involved, each making more than 15 appearances in all competitions.

"Yes, I can confirm it," Ten Hag told the club's website in an excerpt from an interview to be published on Tuesday.

"We are happy because the squad is going in the right direction, and those players (have) a massive contribution in that direction. We want to develop, we want to support those players, and we want them to keep in our process.

"So, that's why we came to those decisions, I'm sure they are the right decisions. We want to construct a team for the future, so for longer years, those players have to be part of it."

Goalkeeper David de Gea, who is also in the last year of his contract and has a similar option for an extension, is yet to come to an agreement with the club. Ten Hag said in October he hoped the Spaniard would stay on at Old Trafford.

United, who are fifth in the Premier League standings, next face 18th-placed Nottingham Forest.