Online Reporter
MANCHESTER UNITED took Marcus Rashford’s squad number from him last year and he will not be getting it back.
Rashford still has two years remaining on the five-year, £325,000-a-week contract he signed in July 2023.
In the three years since Rashford and his family posed for unveiling footage, the Wythenshawe-born forward has spent half of it away from United on loan in the claret and blue of Aston Villa and then Barcelona.
Ruben Amorim was the man who banished Rashford and the lasting legacy from his ruinous 15 months as United head coach may be their current No 10.
Matheus Cunha inherited Rashford’s number and then his left-sided role in Michael Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 formation. Cunha, a playmaker, has been more effective there than he was during his bright five months under Amorim.
Three of Cunha’s five goals for Carrick have been winners and Cunha was on target against Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool, all top-six opponents at the time.
Cunha could upgrade his surfing celebration to crowd-surfing, he is that much of a crowd-pleaser. The same cannot be said for Rashford, booed on his final appearance for United away to Viktoria Plzen.
Carrick was a team-mate and then coach of Rashford’s for nearly six years.
When he was asked about the possibility of Rashford returning, Carrick did not sound like someone about to dust off a ‘Welcome home’ banner for the Mancunian.
United want a left-sided player in the summer, with Alejandro Garnacho gone and Jadon Sancho going. They do not see Rashford as the option to fill that void.
United have the fit-again Patrick Dorgu in reserve on the left. Dorgu has not set the world alight at United but he is better as a winger than a full back.
With third place all but secured and United back in the Champions League, their players are bullishly encouraging title challenge chatter ahead of next season.
United director of football Jason Wilcox’s approval ratings have never been higher. The acrimony over Amorim’s sacking is moot now that United have won ten out of their past 14 games.
Wilcox’s first summer as director of football has also been United’s best summer transfer window since 2007. Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens are individual success stories.
In 2007, Nani, Anderson, Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez came through the door. United ended the 2007-08 season as champions of England and Europe.
The 2025 quartet have some way to go to reach that stratosphere but United could be a force to reckon with next season.
Director of recruitment Christopher Vivell also merits mention. Vivell head-hunted Sesko in late July and the Slovenian’s goals have banked 14 points in the Premier League.
For Wilcox and Vivell to suddenly turn to a player who last played for United in December 2024 in Rashford would risk regression.
It would be unprecedented for United to re-integrate a player who was practically transfer listed. Rashford’s season-long loan with Barcelona includes an option to buy, which suggests there is no coming back to United from that.
Rashford, who turns 29 in October, is in decent nick as he approaches his peak years. He is playing for the one club he could have picked if he ever left United and seems assured of appearing at a third World Cup with England.
A maiden league title can be secured in this weekend’s Clasico against Real Madrid at Camp Nou. Boy’s own stuff — Sun
Mathew Masinge