Marcus Rashford did not give the impression of being consumed by concerns about his future as he trained in heat that climbed above 30C in Kansas City. For the next month or so, his concentration is on England – on Wednesday, they face Croatia in Dallas in their World Cup Group L opener. But the reprieve from club matters was brief. On Monday, the deadline Barcelona agreed with Manchester United to trigger a £26m clause to turn Rashford’s loan into a permanent deal passed without being activated.
On 1 July, when Rashford will hope to be preparing for a last-32 encounter in Atlanta, he will officially return to being a Manchester United player, with a £325,000-a-week contract that still has two years to run. In theory, he could resume his career at his boyhood club. Head coach Michael Carrick knows him well. When asked about Rashford in April, Carrick said no decision had been made about the attacker’s future. “Whoever’s here, I want to work with them and help them to improve,” he added.
“Barcelona failed to trigger a £26m clause to sign Marcus Rashford, leaving his Manchester United future uncertain.”
But minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to bring wage costs down, and that is not simple when the highest earner is on such a huge sum. United gave Rashford’s number 10 shirt to Matheus Cunha last season and are hardly likely to take it off the Brazilian. The summer squad rebuilding plans are being pieced together in the belief Rashford will not be part of them. Twelve months ago, Ruben Amorim placed Rashford in his ‘bomb squad’ and told him to train at different times to the main group. Last week, world governing body Fifa announced a memorandum of understanding with global players’ union Fifpro confirming any player exiled from the main group can demand to be released – and to have their contracts paid up. Ostracising Rashford this season is off the agenda. For now, United say they expect the forward to return following his post-World Cup break.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have emerged as a potential destination. Mikel Arteta has stated on multiple occasions that the Gunners lack a clinical edge in attack, and the left wing has been a problem position with neither Leandro Trossard nor Gabriel Martinelli claiming it as their own. Trossard, now 31, has been linked with a move to Turkey, while Martinelli’s younger age might attract a larger bid. Arsenal’s main target, Kenan Yildiz, is not for sale by Juventus. Rashford, valued at around £40m, represents an ideal transfer. Arsenal are not among the clubs blocked from signing him, understood to be Liverpool and Manchester City. However, the Gunners are said to have cooled their interest. With Barcelona having signed Anthony Gordon in a £70m transfer and United refusing another loan, Rashford’s immediate future remains shrouded in uncertainty. He has little appetite for staying at United beyond this summer and is eager to make a fresh start elsewhere. Whether that fresh start will be at the Emirates – or anywhere – is yet to be seen.