Manchester United will do everything in their power to retain Russo says Skinner | OneFootball

Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner says that the club will do everything in their power to retain the services of star striker Alessia Russo for the long-term.

The 23-year-old England international is believed to have been the subject of two frantic last minute transfer bids from Manchester United’s Barclays Women’s Super League title rivals Arsenal on Deadline Day. The Gunners are thought to have submitted bids up to the value of £500,000 for the forward while a player-swap is also believed to have been on the table.

With Russo out of contract in the summer, Manchester United could have been forgiven for thinking long and hard about selling the player but head coach Skinner says that The Red Devils do not want to be a selling club.

“What is clear from this window is that at Manchester United, we don’t want to be a selling club,” Skinner said when speaking in a Manchester United press conference. “We want to be a team that builds to try and push for titles.

“We are club that has fierce ambition.”

Despite Russo’s long-term future currently being in limbo, Skinner went on to say that he is confident that the club can retain the player’s services and that they will fight very hard to do that.

He said “We’ll do everything in our power to keep her. There are things that we need to work out but actually, I think that she has a real love for this club and we have a real love for her.

“I would be very hopeful (of keeping her) and we are going to continue to work hard to try and do that off the field. On the field, me and Alessia are working for this club’s success.”

Manchester United and Russo are next in action on Sunday when Everton are the visitors to the Leigh Sports Village for a Barclays Women’s Super League fixture.