Marcus Rashford with the English national team
(Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Manchester United are about to welcome Marcus Rashford back from his exile, but his return could spark a bizarre situation at Carrington.
The 28-year-old was one of the most important figures at the club in the past decade, but he became an outcast in December 2024 under the orders of Ruben Amorim.
This prompted a loan move to Aston Villa in January 2025, followed by a ‘dream’ transfer to Barcelona the following summer.
Marcus Rashford set for ‘awkward’ return after losing place & squad number
During his time at Camp Nou, the Englishman registered solid figures, contributing with 14 goals and 14 assists last season.
However, it wasn’t enough to earn him a permanent transfer, as Barcelona preferred to spend £70 million on Rashford’s younger compatriot, Anthony Gordon.
The versatile striker reportedly has proposals on the table from Turkiye and other foreign destinations, but he’s only willing to entertain offers from the European elite.
Amid the lack of options, observers believe Rashford is highly likely to spend the next campaign at Carrington.
Nevertheless, Sky Sports journalist William Bitibiri believes a ‘very awkward’ situation is about to transpire at Man Utd, as Matheus Cunha has already seized Rashford’s playing role and squad number.
“He (Rashford) hasn’t got a squad number anymore. His No 10 shirt is now being occupied by Matheus Cunha,” noted Bitibiri.
“So it does feel like Rashford might be a spare part. It feels a bit awkward. It feels very awkward to say in a few days’ time, Marcus Rashford is going to turn up at Carrington, into the dressing room and see someone else sitting where he used to sit.”
Can Matheus Cunha & Rashford coexist?
Although Rashford left the club in an unceremonious manner, his return shouldn’t necessarily be as awkward as Bitibiri depicts. After all, he’s a professional player returning to an environment he knows inside out, which should hopefully help him avoid past mistakes.
Moreover, Rashford will be welcomed by a familiar head coach, who is seemingly pleased with his return.
Last season, Cunha was considered the undisputed first choice on the left wing, unless he was being deployed as a striker.
Whenever the Brazilian was taking a central role or unavailable, Carrick had to turn to a makeshift option, deploying left-footed players on the left wing, namely Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo.
But with Rashford back in the fold, the manager now has two natural left wingers who can share the role throughout a long and exhausting campaign, while occasionally playing in the same lineup, especially with both capable of filling various roles.