Marcus Rashford is finding a new lease of life away from Manchester United this season, as expected, but his ideal role for club and country spells trouble for Ruben Amorim.
After starting the season on fire for Barcelona, Marcus Rashford is well on his way to replicating that form for the national team as well.
Rashford didn’t have the best game against Serbia despite the 2-0 win, but he came off the bench against Albania to grab an assist.
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Add that to his many assists for Barcelona, which have him top of the league charts in Spain, and it increasingly looks like he’s found his rhythm, but not in a way Ruben Amorim and Man Utd would have liked.
Marcus Rashford and Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford of England prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Albania and England at Air Albania Stadium on November 16, 2025
Photo by Armando Babani/Getty Images
Marcus Rashford’s ideal role for Barcelona and England
Rashford has undoubtedly made the most of his chance at Barcelona, but it can’t be denied that luck has played a huge role as well.
He arguably doesn’t make the cut in Barcelona’s strongest XI, but injuries, first to Robert Lewandowski then to Raphinha, have ensured that he keeps starting.
He has made the most of those starts, but it’s unlikely that he keeps his starting place when Raphinha returns, since Lewandowski is also scoring for fun.
The same looks to be the case for England, where he is nowhere nearly as effective as a starter as he is as a spark plug off the bench.
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His pace and trickery are best utilised against tiring defences when the game gets stretched instead of when trying to break teams down from the start.
As it stands, Rashford’s ideal role will be as an impact sub for both Barcelona and England. While he’s certainly overqualified in that role, it’s his reality right now.
And that spells trouble for Ruben Amorim and Man Utd.
Why Rashford’s role is trouble for Ruben Amorim and Man Utd
Regardless of how well Rashford does for Barcelona, there’s zero chance he returns to Old Trafford next season and resumes his United career.
His contract runs until 2028, so United desperately need him to find a buyer for himself, preferably Barcelona, because he held out for them last summer.
The problem is, Barcelona hold only a buy option, and would a club like Barcelona, in extreme financial peril, really spend £25m+big wages on a player they see as a squad rotation prospect?
Rashford is doing all he can, but he’s not a natural striker, and Barcelona’s existing options on the wing are much better.
It poses a problem for United because the more Rashford gets slid into a rotation role/impact sub, the higher the chance of Barcelona refusing to trigger the buy option.
United will need to be prepared to entertain another loan deal for the player, and knowing Rashford, he’ll make it difficult for anyone else not named Barcelona to sign him.
Barcelona know this, and they won’t make a permanent commitment over a squad player when they can easily force United’s hand into sanctioning another loan deal.
Rashford has found his ideal role, but it’s the worst-case scenario for Amorim and United.