Marcus Rashford in action for Man Utd.
Marcus Rashford's Man United future is uncertain
Marcus Rashford ought to take solace in Jadon Sancho's experience as speculation about his Manchester United future continues to mount.
The 27-year-old - along with Alejandro Garnacho - was left out of Ruben Amorim's squad as the Red Devils took on Manchester City in the derby on Sunday. United clinching all three points via a dramatic late turnaround deflected attention away from Rashford's surprise omission, and while Amorim has left the door open for a comeback, rumours are now running rife that an Old Trafford exit could be on the cards for the forward in 2025.
According to ESPN, Borussia Dortmund have emerged as contenders for Rashford's signature - should United decide to let him leave. However, they'd likely only be interested in a loan move, similar to the one they agreed for Sancho 11 months ago.
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Sancho had been frozen out by Erik ten Hag after falling out with the Dutchman, and joined Dortmund - his former club - in a bid to revitalise his career. The move certainly helped, with Sancho playing some of his best football in years and propelling the German club to the Champions League final.
While it couldn't salvage his United career, it did help him secure a summer move to Chelsea - and Rashford could benefit in a similar way. The England international has struggled for form over the past 18 months and might take inspiration from Sancho by using a short-term loan to Dortmund as a potential launchpad.
After all, his former team-mate has consistently waxed lyrical about his time at the Westfalenstadion. "@BVB I want to thank everyone involved at such an amazing club," Sancho wrote in a social media post after his loan spell at Dortmund ended in June. "I can’t thank you enough for welcoming me back the way you all have during these last six months."
Hours after the loan deal was confirmed in January, he declared that it felt to him like a homecoming and that he was looking to forward to "playing with a smile" on his face. "When I walked into the changing room today, it felt like coming home," he said. "I know the club inside out, I’ve always been very close to the fans here and I’ve never lost contact with the people in charge.
"I can’t wait to see my teammates again, get out on the pitch, play football with a smile on my face, get assists, score goals and help the club qualify for the Champions League."
Sancho initially joined Dortmund in 2017, signing as a teenager from Manchester City. In four years in Germany, he scored 50 goals in 137 games, establishing himself not only as an England regular but also as one of European football's top wingers.
When his £73million transfer to United was confirmed in 2021, he penned an emotional statement bidding farewell to Dortmund. In it, he emphasised how at home he felt at the club and how much he enjoyed the culture and lifestyle.
"The love I will always have for this iconic club will never be matched," he wrote. "From the very first moment I walked into the stadium I felt at home and knew I had made the right decision.
"I was welcomed with open arms by everyone associated with the club. Moving to Germany was not only football, I had to adapt to a new lifestyle and culture... I’ve always wanted to showcase my talent on the global stage and Dortmund gave me the opportunity to do so, for that I will forever be grateful."
Sancho's illuminating comments suggest that a loan move to Dortmund could be rather fruitful for Rashford. That said, there's little to suggest that either he or Amorim are planning his departure.
After United's 2-1 win over City on Sunday, Amorim made it clear that he would be picking players based on form and their effort levels in training. He also indicated that players who get dropped will always been given the opportunity to fight their way back into his starting line-up.
"Next week, next game, new life," he told reporters. "They (Rashford and Garnacho) are fighting for their places but for me it's important, the performance in training, the performance in game, the way you dress, the way you eat, the way you engage with team-mates, the way you push your team-mates. Everything is important when we want to change a lot of things.
"They have to fight for a place in the team and today the team proved we can leave anyone out of the squad and manage to win if you play together... When people in the club are losing their jobs, we have to push our standards really high."
Dortmund aren't the only ones monitoring Rashford's situation. Arsenal have been linked with the forward in the past, though after signing Raheem Sterling on loan in the summer, a move for Rashford seems unlikely in January. Similarly, PSG have long-standing links with the player, but appear to have cooled their interest after failing to sign him in 2023.
This season, Rashford is tied with Rasmus Hojlund as United's second-top scorer in all competitions with seven goals to his name. He's scored three of his four Premier League goals under Amorim, and is expected to return to the matchday squad when United take on Tottenham in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Thursday.
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