Man Utd should resort to £40m star who can solve three squad issues – Opinion

Manchester United should consider placing their trust in Marcus Rashford once more, as he can be the solution to multiple problems at the club.

The 28-year-old has been an outcast at Carrington for the last 18 months or so. It all began when Ruben Amorim excluded him from the matchday squad against Manchester City in December 2024. The attacker never made an appearance for Man Utd afterwards.

In January 2025, he signed for Aston Villa on loan, before sealing his dream move to Barcelona last summer. But despite his exploits at Camp Nou, the Catalan giants decided against exercising their £26 million option to buy him, instead investing £70 million in his younger compatriot Anthony Gordon.

Michael Carrick to welcome Marcus Rashford with open arms?

Following Barcelona’s snub, Rashford is now set to return to Man Utd after the World Cup. Unlike last summer, he won’t be part of the so-called ‘bomb squad’, as Michael Carrick will give him a significantly warmer treatment than Amorim’s.

Nevertheless, the United directors still consider their academy product an ideal profile to offload, as he would generate pure capital gains.

INEOS have set their initial asking price at £40 million, but they would likely entertain lower proposals. After all, they were willing to sell him to Barcelona for £26 million.

However, one could argue that keeping Rashford has two major upsides, not only for his elusive technical skills, but also because it would address some of the issues the club is facing this summer.

In a recent exclusive interview with Utd Report, Wes Brown insisted that Carrick would welcome Rashford with open arms.

So let’s delve into the reasons that validate this opinion.

Why keeping Rashford would be a savvy choice for Man Utd

First of all, Man United don’t have a natural left-winger in their squad. Matheus Cunha and Patrick Dorgu have done an admirable job last season.

That being said, the Brazilian looks more comfortable in a central role, while the Dane is left-footed, making him a somewhat limited option in the age of inverted wingers. The 21-year-old is originally a left-back, and he’s expected to eventually take the torch from Luke Shaw.

Therefore, Man Utd would sort out their left-wing issue by reinstating Rashford, who was devastating on the flank for Barcelona this season, as evidenced by his 14 goals and 14 assists across all competitions.

Moreover, with Rashford back in the squad, Cunha would be able to play as a striker when required. Benjamin Sesko has cemented himself as the first option in the No.9 role, and rightfully so, but the identity of his back-up remains shrouded in mystery, especially with Joshua Zirkzee awaiting offers, with a return to Italian football potentially on the cards.

So instead of investing money in a new centre-forward, Carrick would have some depth behind Sesko, as he would be able to field Cunha upfront with Rashford taking the left wing, or vice versa if he fancies a different solution, as both attackers are versatile enough.

Finally, Rashford’s addition could see Dorgu increasingly involved at the back, as it is past time for the Danish full-back to start adapting to the role he was meant to play all along.

The Englishman’s return obviously entails a massive salary burden, but at least United would get a reliable attacker who knows the club inside out, and will allow them to save their funds for the midfield overhaul, rather than spending excessive transfer fees on a new winger, attacker or left-back.