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David Tully Jul 23rd 2026
Former Man Utd defender Paul Parker believes Marcus Rashford has one “last chance” to rehabilitate his reputation among fans and prove he is a changed man.
There have been plenty of questions about the 28-year-old’s attitude over the years, even before his loan spells away from Old Trafford, but with the forward now set to be reintegrated into the first team squad by Michael Carrick, Parker told PariuriX.com that he shouldn’t be welcomed back with open arms:
“With Marcus Rashford, I feel like the club shouldn’t feel obliged to keep him, but purely because of the contract situation they can’t tell him not to come to the club anymore.”
“Rashford really has to prove a point. He can’t expect to suddenly be a starter at Manchester United. He has to prove a point, which is not about scoring a goal and letting the entitlement come into it again. The fans are not going to fall into that trap of believing him again. Surely, they can’t fall into that again.”
“But if he is serious about wanting to prove himself again, it will be a serious challenge for him, because the fans won’t accept him just after one game or one goal; he needs to work hard consistently. How does he conduct himself when he is sitting on the bench watching the matches? How is he conducting himself in training and socially? That is one of the big issues and a big reason that he is where he is. There is a lot for him to do and to prove, to be perfectly honest, and this is his last chance. Absolutely his last chance.”
Man Utd are still hoping to sell him
It shouldn’t be forgotten that his loans to Aston Villa and Barcelona were sanctioned with the intention that he would be eventually sold, but neither team ended up taking up their option to buy.
Carrick’s appointment as manager may have changed the dynamic slightly, with the 44-year-old having actually played with Rashford during his time as a player at United.
However, you do feel that the winger’s return is a marriage of convenience. They don’t want to depreciate his value by placing him in the reserves.
Does Rashford have any suitors?
Other Premier League clubs are thought to be keen on signing the England international, but he isn’t interested in leaving Old Trafford unless he can get a big move abroad.
Rashford’s £40m release clause reportedly expired in mid-July, so if a team does make an approach for the player before the transfer window closes, a fee will need to be negotiated.
David Tully
David Tully
David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.