One of the Premier League’s biggest stars, Marcus Rashford has made 426 appearances for Manchester United and ranks 12th in the club’s history with 138 goals to his name. Over the last eight years, the forward became synonomous with the club. So, a Marcus Rashford transfer seemed unthinkable at one point. But now it doesn’t appear to be much of a far-fetched idea. Here’s all we know about the saga.
Marcus Rashford Transfer: How it All Began
Marcus Rashford transfer rumors started to gain traction last summer, but he soon put them to bed. He extended his stay at Manchester United on 18 July 2023, signing a new contract through to 30 June 2028. The renewal brought an end to rumours of a potential move, with his previous deal set to expire in a year and interest mounting from prominent European sides.
Rashford was fresh off a career high 30 goal season in English football and was only 25 years old at that time. So, it made sense from the Manchester United perspective to hold on to the attacker.
However, he hit a rough patch of form right afterwards as he managed to score once in his first 17 appearances in the 23/24 season. Manchester United’s form also declined under Erik ten Hag during the same period, and Rashford frequently found himself shouldering the blame for the Red Devils’ underwhelming performances.
In January, Rashford was dropped for an FA Cup match against Newport County after missing training due to illness. This followed an authorised trip to Belfast that extended longer than planned, during which he was spotted entering a nightclub and sipping tequila.
Rashford made an immediate impact under new United head coach Ruben Amorim, scoring just 81 seconds into the match at Ipswich on 24 November. However, Amorim later acknowledged that the central striker role wasn’t the 27-year-old’s ideal position. In Amorim’s first six matches in charge, Rashford started three and came off the bench in the other three.
Amorim has hinted that Rashford’s lack of drive is the reason for his reduced playing time, and it now appears the Manchester United academy graduate could be edging closer to an exit from his boyhood club.
Possible Destinations
With a basic wage exceeding £300,000 a week, Rashford is one of United’s highest-paid players. As you can imagine, the pool of clubs capable of affording his salary is limited. So, there are only handful of teams that can realistically consider a Marcus Rashford transfer, unless the England international agrees to a sizable pay cut.
In Spain, Barcelona’s financial struggles are no secret. Real Madrid have the resources, but they don’t have room to accomodate Rashford in their frontline. Atletico Madrid has brought in Julian Alvarez for a hefty sum, so it seems unlikely that they would go for another expensive forward.
Manchester United would not want to deal with another Premier League club. But, they might not have any other option because of the deep pockets of other PL giants. Manchester City are not known to be in the market for an attacker. Liverpool are hopeful of extending Mo Salah’s contract. Chelsea have already overspent and Tottenham are not looking for a left winger either.
Arsenal have reportedly shown interest in the player. However, they want a striker, but Rashford is not keen on playing as a number nine. But as things stand, Arsenal remain the likeliest destination if a Marcus Rashford transfer actually takes place.
