Marcus Rashford: Why Man United want to sell Carrick favourite | OneFootball

Manchester United remain intent on selling Marcus Rashford this summer despite Michael Carrick’s desire to work with the 28-year-old forward and the club’s failure to land their priority targets out wide. This begs the question: why?

The money doesn’t add up

While the overriding narrative swirling around Rashford’s exclusion by Ruben Amorim in December 2025 was behavioural, the underlying motivation behind INEOS’s support of the Portuguese tactician was, in fact, financial.

Rashford’s salary at Old Trafford is worth £325,000 a week once the Champions League bonus – a common clause used by United – kicks in. His contract runs until 2028, meaning the club are contractually obliged to pay the England international nearly £34 million over the next two years.

From a business perspective, if one of the most expensive assets in a company’s portfolio was dramatically underperforming, as Rashford was for 18 months before his clash with Amorim, it would be a no-brainer for it to be shifted off the books.

Driving down the wage bill has been one of INEOS’s priorities since Sir Jim Ratcliffe was ratified as co-owner in 2024. The decision to not give in to fan pressure for ‘One More Year!’ with Casemiro’s contract, which would have cost around £350,000 a week, illustrates this.

But the same applies to the hierarchy’s determination to part ways with Rashford: first when Amorim wanted him out, and now, despite Carrick being happy to reintegrate him at Carrington.

The motivation has little to do with the player, his performances, or his influence in the dressing room – or his manager’s interpretation of any of the three. Even the dour Dutchman, Erik ten Hag, described Rashford as “unstoppable” despite having dropped him for tardiness a week prior.

Rather, it is the product of a cold financial calculation made in the offices at M16; an obsession with the bottom line that helped turn Sir Jim Ratcliffe into one of Britain’s richest men, even if the ‘Local Lad’ now resides in Monaco for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with taxation. We need to ‘Take Back Control’ after all, don’t we, Jim? What? Sorry, I couldn’t hear that from your petropality.

Rashford’s status as an academy player means his sale will constitute ‘pure profit’ in PSR (Profits and Sustainability Rules) terms. While the decision to include a £26 million buy-option in the loan deal with FC Barcelona last summer seemed cheap – even if the Blaugrana opted against triggering it – it would still have provided a major boost to United’s finances. But this will hold true with any offer the clubs accepts, hence why the plan remains to sell, and buy a replacement with the funds generated.

Is it a price worth paying?

The counterargument to Manchester United’s drive to be rid of Rashford is the fact that alternative options on the left-hand side are being explored, even if those players are not as good as the Carrington graduate.

Crysencio Summerville is a perfect example. The West Ham United star is understood to be the “No.1 target” on the wing this summer, with the Red Devils hoping to strike a cut-price deal after the East London club were relegated in May.

However, the Hammers are sticking to their guns over a £50 million valuation, particularly after the 24-year-old Netherlands international enjoyed a superb World Cup campaign, further emboldening this position.

Despite the hike in price, a pursuit of Summerville would still cost United less in the short term than it would to keep Rashford, due to the method by which transfer fees are amortised. A £50 million deal, spread over a five-year contract, accounts for a £10 million annual hit from a PSR perspective.

The Rotterdam native is believed to be on around £50,000 a week at the London Stadium. In order to get secure his signature, he wants this to double to a £100,000 weekly wage. If you extrapolate this across a year, the amount Summerville would cost United next season would be £10 million in transfer fees and £5.2 million in salary – a total of just over £15 million.

When compared to the £16.9 million the club are set to fork out to pay Rashford’s wages for the 2026/27 campaign alone, it is clear to see why INEOS are making the choices they are. In two years’ time, Rashford will leave as a free agent close to turning 31, while Summerville will be yet to enter his peak, and could, in all likelihood, be sold for a profit.

But this begs the question: is Rashford worth the squeeze? Even the most ardent of his detractors would struggle to keep a straight face when trying to claim Summerville is a better footballer. The Dutchman has 10 goals and eight assists across four seasons in the Premier League, totalling 84 appearances. Rashford returned more assists in his debut campaign in La Liga alone, even while largely playing as a substitute.

Marcus Rashford Stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Transfermarkt.

Despite Barcelona not wanting to buy Rashford permanently, the Catalans were interested in re-signing him on loan. Clearly, they believed Rashford was worth his wages, just not the transfer fee. If that is good enough for a Champions League powerhouse, why is it not good enough for United, given the dynamic would be the same at Old Trafford?

Furthermore, United are not even considered frontrunners for Summerville. The Athletic reports Serie A giant AS Roma are locked in talks with West Ham after receiving the green light from the player over a switch to the Italian capital.

Final Thoughts

Heading into the summer window, Manchester United’s leading targets for the left were understood to be RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande and Aston Villa talisman Morgan Rogers. Either would have been a major upgrade on Rashford. The pivot towards Summerville only came after it was clear the price for both options would be beyond United’s budget, as the focus has been on a major revamp in midfield.

But if the alternative is signing an inferior player to Rashford, could the Wythenshawe native’s wages be a price worth paying? Carrick seems to believe so, even if his bosses do not. Both sides of the divide have reasonable arguments, though it feels suspiciously close to a football vs business debate; a chance to balance the books as much as bring balance on the pitch – and Carrick would have every right to be angry if so.

Featured image George Wood via Getty Images

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