Manchester United Would Be Right To Reintegrate Marcus Rashford | OneFootball

When things go wrong in the modern world, particularly in football, people like to look towards a scapegoat. Over the last few years of turmoil and tumultuous times at Manchester United, the fanbase, justifiably or not, have been one of the most prominent targets of blame for that.

Marcus Rashford is not perfect. That much is obvious, but who is? The England forward has made mistakes, probably more than he himself would like to admit, but when push came to shove, he was made the poster boy for failure at the club because it was the easiest thing to do. Just like it was easy with Paul Pogba. Just as it was easy with Harry Maguire. Numerous players have been made scapegoats at Old Trafford in the last decade and a half since the club won the league, and it has drawn a major divide between players and fans that has proved difficult to mend.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 second leg match between Manchester United and FC Midtjylland at Old Trafford on February 25, 2016 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

RASHBACK

Rashford’s quality is undeniable. He is coming off the back of winning a La Liga title at one of the clubs outside of United who can genuinely claim to be as big of a club. When compared with the other left -wing options on the market at the moment, can anyone say with certainty that the options out there are better than Rashford?

Is Crysencio Summerville, talented as he is, as good as a fully fit and firing Marcus Rashford? If the Wythenshawe-born winger rediscovers that form he found under Erik ten Hag, would the connection between fans and player be matched by any other left-wing option on the market?

Barcelona astonishingly decided to pay £80M for Anthony Gordon as opposed to signing Rashford for what could have been around £30m. That’s not to suggest Gordon is a bad player, very far from it, he is an incredible winger. But has he ever proven he can score to the level Rashford can? Has he showcased the levels he can reach, even in a Barca jersey, like the United winger did last season at the club? Not yet. There can’t be a £50m valuation difference between the two players. It isn’t not really warranted on any evidence.

The biggest issue with Rashford is his wages. If INEOS could convince him to accept a reduced pay packet, which is of course incredibly unlikely, the situation would suit all parties. £350,000 a week is a significant obstacle for an ownership attempting to reshape the wage structure at the club, and reintegrating the 27-year-old, regardless of his quality, will be a tough pill to swallow.

Another way of looking at that is, United could go out and pay £50m for a player half as good as Rashford and waste that money. The player you know is sometimes better than the player you don’t. Summerville for example is supremely talented, but can he handle the demands of a club like United? Rashford can. Rashford has. And if this is a new look Man United, primed for success, the general feeling around the club will be less toxic, which means there’s every chance the relationship between Marcus and the fans can begin to be mended.

football is romantic

From a financial perspective and with a greater need to strengthen more key areas, like the midfield, it’s a solution that also makes sense. Michael Carrick needs at least three midfield additions, even more so after Manuel Ugarte’s ACL injury. Ederson is effectively through the door, which could prove to be a better signing than many give it credit for. Outside of that, the race for Matheus Fernandes remains active, with Tottenham Hotspur also in the mix.

Neither party have a clear lead as of yet, and truthfully any reports outside of David Ornstein or Fabrizio Romano don’t offer a reliable picture of where negotiations currently stand.

Beyond that, as reported by several outlets, Lewis Hall remains a target. Ornstein has suggested a left winger is more likely than a left-back however. In terms of left-backs, there are many former left-back targets still interested in joining Man United. Bradley Locko is among them, with United having a genuine interest in the player back in 2024 before his Achilles injury.

Funds will be crucial for United in terms of landing these players, and reintegrating Rashford as opposed to spending £50-60m could be beneficial. He’s an academy lad, who despite some underwhelming performances during a difficult period in his life, is still the 15th-highest goal scorer in the club’s entire history with 138 goals. He’s just 18 goals away from breaking into the top ten. What a poetic turnaround it would be if he scored 18 goals next season for his boyhood club on the way to winning number 21.