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Marcus Rashford to return to Manchester United squad amid transfer uncertainty
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Marcus Rashford, the 28-year-old England forward, will return to Manchester United's pre-season training camp in Dublin on Sunday after an 18-month absence. He was loaned to Aston Villa and Barcelona following a falling out with former manager Ruben Amorim. Barcelona declined to activate a £26 million buyout clause, instead signing Anthony Gordon, while Villa brought in Garnacho. Rashford's £325,000 weekly wage has blocked permanent transfers, and he is not interested in moves to Turkey or Saudi Arabia, aiming instead for Tuchel's 2028 European Championship squad. Manchester United's hierarchy, surprised by Barcelona's decision, has shelved winger recruitment plans to focus on strengthening left-back. Manager Michael Carrick, a former teammate, is expected to handle the situation less confrontationally than Amorim. United sources stress they will not allow another year-long loan. Rashford's contract runs until 2028, and his first appearance could be against AC Milan, managed by Amorim.
Source report
Hupu Football News — 8 minutes ago
Hupu, August 7th. According to The Sun's Manchester United correspondent Samuel Luckhurst, Marcus Rashford will travel to Dublin this Sunday to rejoin his Manchester United teammates, marking his first return to the club's pre-season training camp in 18 months. The 28-year-old England forward is set to officially return to Manchester United after completing a mandatory three-week post-World Cup break.
Background
Rashford last trained with his Manchester United teammates in January 2025. Since then, he has been loaned to Aston Villa and Barcelona. In that final training session, Rashford and other United players jokingly patted head coach Ruben Amorim, who was observing a birthday tradition—just five days later, after being consistently excluded from Amorim's matchday squads, he joined Villa.
Transfer Complications
- Barcelona chose not to activate the £26 million buyout clause in June, instead signing England left winger Anthony Gordon for £69 million.
- Villa brought in Garnacho on loan with a £42.5 million mandatory buyout clause—Rashford's left-wing competitor at United.
- Last summer, Rashford and Garnacho were part of the "bomb squad" of five players at United's Carrington training base, required by Amorim to train separately from the main squad at different times.
Awkward Reunion
Although Amorim was sacked in January and manager Michael Carrick has restored stability to United, this upcoming reunion remains awkward for all parties.
- In May, Rashford publicly stated his desire for a permanent move to Barcelona and reiterated his wish to leave permanently during the World Cup.
- The England international's weekly wage of £325,000 has virtually blocked all permanent transfer options.
- On the eve of the World Cup, Rashford posted a brief message on Instagram thanking Barcelona, Villa, the England team, and their respective coaches, but made no mention of Manchester United.
- In his verified Instagram and X account bios, United was also deliberately omitted, and his Facebook page has not been updated since December 2021.
Club's Position
United's hierarchy was surprised by Barcelona's decision not to buy Rashford, leaving them with no other options. The club has thus shelved plans to sign a winger, shifting focus to strengthening the left-back position.
Rashford himself is not interested in a move to Turkey or Saudi Arabia—his goal is to be selected for Thomas Tuchel's 2028 European Championship squad.
Relationship with Management
Carrick was Rashford's teammate, captain, coach, and interim manager over nearly six years. Carrick's non-confrontational style should avoid the treatment Rashford endured under Amorim. However, Rashford has also clashed with former manager Erik ten Hag—including attending a birthday party hours after a 3-0 home loss to Manchester City in October 2023, and a midweek trip to Belfast in January 2024.
Contract and Future
United sources have repeatedly stressed that Rashford will not leave on another year-long loan. The academy graduate's contract runs until 2028.
Rashford's first appearance after returning to United could be in the pre-season friendly against AC Milan next Saturday—Milan's manager is Amorim.
Source: The Sun
International Football News
Rashford's No. 10 shirt has been taken away, returning to United like an outcast
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