Alessia Russo: Man Utd boss 'hopeful' striker will sign new deal
- Published
Alessia Russo was part of the England squad that won the European Championship last summer
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner is "very hopeful" England striker Alessia Russo will sign a new contract to remain at the club next season.
United rejected a second world-record bid of almost £500,000 from Arsenal for Russo on transfer deadline day.
Russo's current deal at United expires this summer and she turned down a contract extension in June.
"I will try everything in our power to do so. There are always factors in it. I don't hide things," said Skinner.
"There's definitely parts we need to work out but actually I think she has a real love for this club and we have a real love for her.
"I would be very hopeful and we're going to try to work off the field to do that. But on the field Alessia and I will continue to work towards this club's success."
United are top of the Women's Super League and three points ahead of third-placed Arsenal.
Russo, 23, has scored five times in nine WSL appearances this season and is free to talk to other clubs outside of England as she has fewer than six months remaining on her contract.
Asked if he had spoken to Russo since Tuesday's deadline, Skinner said: "I spoke with Alessia this morning and we had a really good meeting, really positive.
"She has a great attitude and is exactly the type of person we are looking to keep here, keep having negotiations with and keep conversations around that.
"She wants to win here. I can't speak any more highly of her attitude. She just gets on with her job. We had a good moment this morning, had a good meeting and she trained really well this morning."
Skinner also said it was "huge" for United's title challenge to keep Russo for the remainder of the season.
"What's clear from this window is that as Manchester United we don't want to be a selling club," he added.
"We want to be a team that builds to try and push for titles. We're a club that has fierce ambition."
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