Where could Rashford go?
- Published
Marcus Rashford will return to Manchester United, at least for pre-season, as there has been no negotiations with Aston Villa regarding the possible extension of the forward's future.
The player's camp do not believe current United head coach Ruben Amorim wants to restore the player to his squad, while minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has previously spoken about his frustration at some of the team's highest earners not being on the pitch.
The simple truth is if Rashford sticks to his guns over his wages – and his United contract does not run out until 2028 - very few clubs in the world could afford him.
It means United have to offer an incentive to negotiate a sale, through a reduced fee or offering to pay a portion of his wages or both.
Rashford had harboured hopes of a move to Barcelona in January but no deal materialised. Ideally, he would prefer to play for a club who are in the Champions League next season. It is not clear whether Liverpool or Manchester City would be interested, or whether the player would be prepared to United's fiercest rivals.
In addition, it is not certain whether Rashford would be inclined to stay at United should they lose next week's Europa League final, and with Ruben Amorim's future coming under more severe scrutiny than is currently the case.
Either way, another loan deal rather than a straight transfer cannot be ruled out.