Marcus Rashford is one of a number of Manchester United players facing an uncertain future, as was the case last summer
Marcus Rashford on England duty at the World Cup
Marcus Rashford's future remains up in the air(Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)
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This time last year, Manchester United were in the process of sending Marcus Rashford to Barcelona on a season-long loan deal. However, the behaviour which led up to that exit won't be able to be repeated going forward.
Rashford, along with a handful of his United team-mates, was placed in a 'bomb squad' by then-manager Ruben Amorim. Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia were also among the group, with Amorim keeping the quintet away from team training sessions and telling all of them to find a new club before deadline day.
"I think again, I know that is not a good thing to have players in this situation," Amorim said at the time. "But it’s clear they want to play in a different club and that is clear.
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"So we try to arrange everything for both parts to be happy, so I have to try to imagine to have the training with the guys that I think are going to be the future and the other guys are training and preparing for the next chapter."
All apart from Malacia were successful in finding new clubs, though Rashford's return from loan and Malacia's summer release means the Englishman is the only bomb squad member currently at Old Trafford. Soon, though, the practice will be banned.
Tyrell Malacia warming up for Manchester United
Another bomb squad member, Tyrell Malacia, ended up spending last season with United(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Under the terms of new FIFA rules, players will be able to demand a free transfer if a club “separate[s] a player in an abusive manner from training with the team.” This means clubs would risk losing the chance of recouping a fee even if a player has years left on their contract.
"Players will be better protected from abusive practices," a statement from players' union FIFPRO read. "Demoting players, forcing them to train in isolation as a form of pressure, withholding passports or abusing registration procedures are now expressly prohibited. These practices have affected too many players for too long and have no place in modern football."
The new deal doesn't come into force until January 1, 2027. However, it marks a multi-year change and clubs may prefer to get ahead of the rules by getting out of the habits of bombing players out before then.
United weren't the only club to adopt the practice last season. Chelsea treated several players in a similar way, with England internationals Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling chief among them.
A number of those players have since left Stamford Bridge, with the likes of Armando Broja and Carney Chukwuemeka commanding decent fees. However, the Blues will now need to find a solution when it comes to Axel Disasi and David Datro Fofana after the pair only left on loan.