Despite interest from Barcelona, Manchester United forward Edinson Cavani has pledged to stay at the club this month, according to Ralf Rangnick.
Cavani is in the final six months of his contract at Man United and has been linked with a move to Barça, who consider the Uruguayan as a viable alternative to Alvaro Morata, their main transfer target.
Rangnick has previously stated that he wants to maintain Cavani, and the manager has now confirmed that he feels the same way.
“I told him that if it was up to me I would want him to stay and I had a conversation with him,” Rangnick said (via Sky Sports News).
“He came to my office and we spoke for almost half an hour and he told me that he will definitely stay, he will want to stay until the end of the season.
“Not only because I told him that he should stay or has to stay, but he did it on his own behalf. He told me that I can rely on him to stay until the end of the season and give his very best, be a role model for the young players.
“He’s available and he’s happy to play. Even if he’s not playing, he will be trying to be the best possible role model for the other players.
“This is, for me, good news because Edi is one of those players – with his vast amount of experience, his mentality, his work ethic – who could really be a perfect role model for all the other players.”
Cavani has been a regular under Rangnick after returning from an injury that delayed his debut to the German, whose 4-2-2-2 system has opened up extra space in United’s attack with Cristiano Ronaldo.
He’s started United’s last two Premier League games, accounting for half of his total starts this season, and he looks poised to start more before the end of the season.
