Marcus Rashford’s future at Man Utd is looking increasingly like a case of a truce amid the lack of interest in his services, so here’s how Man Utd’s transfer decision with Rashford shapes up.
Nobody could have foreseen we would reach this point when Barcelona signed Marcus Rashford on loan last summer, with an option to buy.
Not only did Barcelona refuse to trigger the option, but they also spent three times that money on Anthony Gordon to send a brutal message to Rashford and Man Utd.
With no other club interesting the player, Man Utd’s transfer decision with Rashford tilts towards keeping him at Old Trafford. So, how is that decision assessed?
After watching Marcus Rashford at the World Cup, do you want to see him back at Man Utd?
Marcus Rashford ended his World Cup campaign with a strong display against France…
Pros of Man Utd’s transfer decision with Marcus Rashford
Saves on a new attacker
United buying a new left-winger was contingent on Rashford leaving, but seeing the current transfer market, it seems like keeping him is the most financially sound decision.
Crysencio Summerville, someone Man Utd would have gone for had they sold Rashford, has just sealed an €80m move to Al-Hilal.
The market has gone crazy, and to have a player like Rashford, for all his faults, under contract at Man Utd, could end up being a masterstroke.
Michael Carrick can work his magic
It feels like an era ago, but the problems with Rashford started under Ruben Amorim, as every other manager managed to get at least something out of him.
That is especially true for Carrick, who was a part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s staff when Rashford was the happiest at the club.
Rashford is clearly a player who needs to feel the love and confidence of his manager to flourish, and Carrick knows how to get a tune out of him.
If this reintegration was ever going to work, it was always going to be under someone like Carrick.
A motivated Rashford is a force to be reckoned with
Rashford is a player who thrives on confidence and when he has people to prove wrong. It’s why his best seasons often come after his worst seasons, and vice versa.
After a bruising transfer window where Barcelona turned their back on him, he should be motivated to tell the footballing world that he’s not the problematic player they seem to think he is.
A driven and motivated Rashford is a force to be reckoned with, and United could be set to benefit unexpectedly from this series of events.
Cons of Man Utd’s transfer decision with Rashford
Too much history and baggage
Rashford has had a weird love-hate relationship with Man Utd fans, and he hasn’t helped himself by grovelling towards Barcelona.
He publicly asked to leave under Amorim, and has been involved in public instances of unprofessionalism under various managers at the club.
There is too much history and baggage with Rashford, where a single poor game, untracked attacker, sulking moment, or a misplaced pass could turn things toxic.
Is this a little harsh on Marcus Rashford? Do you feel the same way?
Does he have the mental fortitude to fight back against that and change the narrative?
The wage question
For Ineos, this is the biggest thing, as Rashford would be earning close to £300k/week while acting as the backup for two positions in the first XI.
It’s why United have had trouble shifting him, and also why Ineos have been eager to move him.
For a player to earn close to what Bruno Fernandes does, and not even be a guaranteed starter, is simply an albatross on the wage bill.
No matter how well he performs, he isn’t worth the wage he’s getting. That will invite criticism. It’s a fight he can’t win at United anymore.
Step back on a cultural reset?
There has been no public evidence of Rashford being a nuisance in the dressing room, but for many, he represents a bygone era of the club.
In their minds, the club have moved on from overpaid underperformers, and after the departure of Jadon Sancho, Rashford is the personification of that template.
That train of thought is hard to run away from, and Rashford’s own comments in the past, where his mind was elsewhere, won’t help him.
Rashford is an academy product, so he shouldn’t be treated like a mercenary, but he has somewhat earned this reputation himself. Seeing him back at Carrington could be seen as a step back on a cultural reset at the club.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
