England return to World Cup action tonight when they take on Ghana in their second Group L game in Boston and Thomas Tuchel has plenty to ponder
Thomas Tuchel could give Marcus Rashford an opportunity vs Ghana tonight for England
Thomas Tuchel could give Marcus Rashford an opportunity vs Ghana tonight for England(Image: Masashi Hara/Getty Images)
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World Cup fever is once again sweeping Manchester as England prepare for their second Group L match against Ghana in Boston, Massachusetts. For head coach Thomas Tuchel, once of interest to Manchester United, he has plenty to ponder with knockout stage qualification on the line.
In Dallas, Texas, Tuchel opted to start Anthony Gordon ahead of Marcus Rashford on the left flank. For United's winger, that decision will have only added to the frustration felt this summer. It seemed for all the world that Barcelona would activate his £26m option to buy clause at the end of the season after Rashford scored 14 goals and bagged 14 assists in Catalonia.
However, the La Liga giants instead pivoted towards Gordon and splashed £69m on him. That transfer ultimately signalled Barcelona's intentions and last week, when we reached the deadline for the clause, Barca opted to let it pass leaving United and Rashford at square one.
Any frustration Rashford felt about being overlooked again in favour of Gordon, was channelled into his cameo against Croatia. He replaced the former Newcastle man on 72 minutes. By the 85th minute, he had confidently cut inside the defender and slotted a calm finish underneath Dominik Livakovic to secure the three points.
Rashford's hope will be for Tuchel to start him against Ghana. But it is not just the 28-year-old who will have his fingers crossed, so will United. We have now passed the point of no return for Rashford. While the Reds will welcome Rashford back into Carrington after his post-World Cup break, there is a motivation to sell him permanently. It is understood the decision to move on from Rashford was not a Ruben Amorim individual call.
Ineos' decision makers were fully in agreement with Amorim's course of action and that stance has not changed. United will aim to sell Rashford in the first instance and a £40m offer should get the deal done.
Tottenham Hotspur are the latest club to be linked with Rashford. It has previously been reported that United's academy graduate would not favour a move to London, but things could have changed.
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford(Image: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
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Spurs may not be in Europe but they are being linked with a host of players, including Newcastle's Sandro Tonali, signalling their intentions for next season.
Roberto De Zerbi's side could also benefit, just like United did, from a lack of European football. This will allow them a free shot at the top four, despite only surviving relegation on the final day of the Premier League season.
But Tottenham will not be the only club looking at Rashford tonight, were he to play. Bayern Munich have also been linked with the forward in the past.
Considering Vincent Kompany's willingness to sign Premier League players and having missed out on Gordon themselves, Rashford would be a realistic option for them too. A move to the Bundesliga could be seen as favourable from Rashford's side too if he wants a clean break from the Premier League.
However, for both United and Rashford, the odds of a deal will only increase if he starts. Tonight, Tuchel can put Rashford in the shop window and give interested clubs another reason to step up their intentions.
Another good performance could make life that little bit easier for the Reds as the transfer window prepares to heat up.