Marcus Rashford’s transfer faces a new setback as Man United skips the INEOS company rule.
Manchester United might face a new challenge if they decide to sell Marcus Rashford this summer, according to reports. Rashford has come back to Man United after Barcelona didn’t take up their option to sign him permanently following his loan last season.
The 28-year-old did well at Barca, scoring 14 goals and assisting 11 in all competitions, but it wasn’t enough to secure a permanent move. Rashford hasn’t played for United in pre-season yet because of England’s World Cup run. Players had to take at least a three-week break after the third-place playoff win over France on July 18. But he’s expected to join the club’s pre-season trip to the Republic of Ireland and make his long-awaited return.
Michael Carrick is now the head coach at United, while Ruben Amorim was in charge when Rashford was loaned out last summer. So far, Carrick hasn’t shared any public thoughts on whether Rashford will stay at Old Trafford this summer.
Meanwhile, Turkish club Fenerbahce has shown strong interest and is said to be willing to spend big on the England star. However, journalist Fabrizio Romano says there’s over a 50% chance Rashford will stay in Manchester. He would only leave if a top European league opportunity came up.
If United do decide to sell Rashford, they’ll face another hurdle that didn’t exist last season. The Telegraph reports Rashford has gotten a 25% wage increase this summer after United secured Champions League football. The club changed its rules under new co-owners INEOS, limiting big pay rises to players who play at least 60% of matches. Rashford didn’t play for United last season since he was on loan, but because his contract was signed before the rule change, he still got the raise. The same is true for Andre Onana, who’s been loaned to Turkish side Trabzonspor again.
BBC Sport says Rashford is now United’s top earner, making £325,000 a week, which could push the club closer to selling him. On the other hand, his clear talent — shown over the past year — could be a key asset for Carrick’s team in the Premier League and Champions League.
Rashford hasn’t talked about his future since the World Cup. During the tournament, he said he wanted to focus fully on the moment and wasn’t thinking about next steps yet. “As a person, I live in the moment,” he said. “I was clear before the World Cup I wanted to sort things out, but if not, I wouldn’t think about it until after because I wanted to be fully present. At the same time, we’re fighting for something. I don’t have energy to be putting into other things.”