The dilemma at the heart of Man United’s huge Marcus Rashford decision | OneFootball

A club with a long and proud tradition of homegrown players clinches their league title by beating their major rivals with a spectacular goal by Marcus Rashford. For Manchester United, it may have long seemed the dream. Although the reality is that the newly anointed champions are Barcelona, Rashford’s curling free-kick setting them on their way to a Clasico win over Real Madrid.

History for Rashford, becoming the first Englishman to win LaLiga with Barca, and joining what remains a select group to triumph with anyone, alongside Laurie Cunningham, David Beckham, Kieran Trippier and Jude Bellingham. If the circumstances were different, it would surely prompt Barcelona to take up the €30m option to turn his loan into a transfer.

Although, were the circumstances different, Rashford may not have got the move to Camp Nou he seemed to covet when his relationship with United broke down; the Catalan club were also interested in the costlier Luis Diaz and Nico Williams last summer. Rashford seemed like Plan C, available without an immediate transfer fee in part because of United’s inability to sell him.

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Marcus Rashford helped Barcelona wrap up the title in style (Reuters)

He has nevertheless been a success as a high-calibre squad player, his outings split almost equally between starts and substitute appearances. A tally of 14 goals in 47 games is decent, if unexceptional. More impressive, though, is that he also has 14 assists, giving him 28 goal contributions, an average of one every 87 minutes on the pitch. There is an argument that Rashford has been flattered by the figures and, unlike United, Barcelona have been in Europe, but he has as many goal involvements this season as Bruno Fernandes.

Which, in its own way, may offer an insight into what United are missing. Though arguably not missing too much, given that they have qualified for the Champions League and have taken the most points in the Premier League since Michael Carrick’s return to Old Trafford.

Yet that has been built on a small core. With European commitments next season, United require more players. It is also evident they need attacking reinforcements; it was clear even before Joshua Zirkzee laboured ineffectually in Saturday’s stalemate at Sunderland to show why he is not good enough.

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Joshau Zirkzee was largely ineffective against Sunderland (PA Wire)

Their squad, reshaped by Ruben Amorim in his quest to play a 3-4-3 that didn’t suit Rashford – or virtually anyone else, for that matter – does not contain a natural left winger. Patrick Dorgu started Carrick’s reign there, acquitting himself well before getting injured, but it remains to be seen if that was a short-term gambit or a long-term strategy. Matheus Cunha has occupied the role more often, but is essentially a No 10. Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo have taken turns there. Rashford would have the potential to be a regular.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Sesko is the only specialist No 9 in the squad and if Rashford probably would not describe himself as such, he is better qualified to fill the role than anyone else on United’s books, with the exception of Rasmus Hojlund, whose loan to Napoli is set to become a permanent deal.

As United’s recruitment drive last summer shows, when they spent around £200m on Cunha, Sesko and Mbeumo, they can end up paying at least £60m for forwards; the club would concede that they paid towards the upper end of their valuations for players who, in some cases, are less gifted than Rashford.

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Rashford has impressed as a starter and a substitute for Barca (Reuters)

And selling him for €30m would represent a figure at the lower end of his valuation, even accounting for his sizeable wages and the fact he turns 29 in October. The numbers have significance when the summer spending has to be focused on the midfield, with what might be a £200m rebuild, with at least two signings required and preferably three. They may want other additions, too: perhaps a left-back, unless Dorgu is pencilled in for defensive duties.

Meanwhile, there is no guarantee that Barcelona, their funds ever tight, their preference for trying to get quality players on the cheap, their greatest need arguably for an out-and-out centre forward to replace Robert Lewandowski, would even try to buy Rashford anyway. They may prefer the brinkmanship of aiming to borrow him again.

The sense has been that Rashford feels his United career is over, even beyond the feeling his first choice is to be at Barcelona. Certainly, there may be some at Old Trafford and in the fanbase who do not want him to return. As things unravelled in the 18 months following his outstanding campaign in 2022-23, there were more incidents beyond those that got into the public domain.

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Things fell apart for Rashford at Old Trafford (Getty)

But it was nevertheless true that he was exiled with remarkable speed by Amorim, whose United then scored very few goals. It was a damaging decision, but Amorim is gone. Carrick is a former teammate and coach; indeed, no player scored more goals or got more assists for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United than Rashford.

Last month, United’s temporary manager said no decision had been made on Rashford. Nor on Carrick either, perhaps, though he is likely to get the job on a lengthier basis. And if he provided a non-answer last week, Rashford may yet be a logical answer for United.

Some bridges may have to be rebuilt, but he is a scorer of 138 United goals, a player good enough to excel for Barcelona. They are not obliged to give him to the new champions of Spain on the cheap. Especially not when he could fill in at least two gaps in United’s plans for next season.