Marcus Rashford looks increasingly likely to stay at Man Utd beyond the summer transfer window.
Marcus Rashford is smiling in almost every photo in this week’s Manchester United training gallery.
Rashford did not expect to be in this situation when he signed for Barcelona on loan, which included an option to buy. Nor did United, who hoped Barcelona would exercise their option to sign him for £26million.
Barcelona, however, might have done United a favour if Rashford can play at his best under Michael Carrick, which seems possible given their history. “He’s a very good player. Marcus can offer us so much,” said Carrick this week.
Everyone will be smiling if Rashford can perform consistently. But it’s a big ‘if’. Rashford was consistently inconsistent in the years leading up to his departure from United, but the concerns around his potential reintegration are more centred on his discipline.
Rashford had plenty of chances before Ruben Amorim finally decided he’d seen enough. There was the trip to a nightclub after an embarrassing defeat against Manchester City, which Erik ten Hag branded “unacceptable”, and the boozy jaunt to Belfast, for which Ten Hag wanted to exile Rashford before deciding it would be detrimental to the team’s success.
Ten Hag was privately furious with Rashford for that particular incident. Rashford soon ran out of chances as Amorim decided enough was enough. But there has been another twist.
Carrick is probably the only United boss who would have considered reintergating Rashford. He appears to have happily thrown the academy graduate a lifeline at a time when it’s a risk to do so.
Carrick is building a good thing at Old Trafford. He won more points than any other manager in the Premier League during his interim stint, and wants to improve again in a season in which United will return to the Champions League.
There is optimism about where Carrick could take this team – hopefully to a first league triumph since 2013 – but welcoming back a player whose commitment wasn’t good enough threatens to damage the spirit in the dressing room.
Everything has been fine since Rashford’s return, and Carrick has been pleased with his application in training, while his teammates clearly seem happy about him being part of the squad again.
Noussair Mazraoui was asked about United’s new signings by ITV after the Leeds pre-season friendly on Wednesday night, and he said Rashford would be a “big one”. Rashford was not mentioned in the question, but it spoke volumes that Mazraoui namechecked Rashford in his answer.
Mazraoui looked sheepish as he realised his quote would make headlines. “Of course, he could leave,” he clarified, but it looks increasingly likely that Rashford will stay.
Rashford contributed 14 goals and 14 assists across all competitions for Barcelona, and he looked sharp for England during the World Cup, so United will be boosted if he can perform to those levels.
It almost seems inevitable that Rashford will do well this season, but it will be difficult to say whether reintegrating him, if it happens, was the right decision, as history has shown he can get embroiled in disciplinary issues at any moment.
Hopefully Rashford has turned a corner and wants to make the most of an unexpected second chance at his boyhood club. Hopefully there will be no discipline issues. Hopefully he bangs in the goals and all is forgotten.
There is one good reason to think that’s possible, and it’s down to the environment Carrick has created since his return to United. He exudes calmness, the team feels settled and there are no signs of turbulence ahead.
That is important context when analysing Rashford’s situation, as he put some of his struggles down to being in an “inconsistent environment for a very, very long time” when he spoke about his career last year.
“So it’s even more difficult to be consistent,” he added. “I think consistency is what I need to bring into my game and I’m looking to do that. Obviously, I want to be at my best, not sometimes, but as often as possible.
“When people talk about consistency, in order to be consistent in anything, not just sports, you need consistent variables like in your life. And in the way you train, and we’ve just had so many changes so far in my career.
“But, like I said, I have to look forward, and that’s definitely one of the things that I’d want to put right and improve on, to be at my best more often. Because when I’m at my best, I really enjoy everything about the sport, so, yeah, being there is a special thing for me.”
Rashford must take responsibility for the chain of events that led to his United departure, but there is undoubtedly blame on both sides, with instability having been rife at United over the last few years.
Everything is different now that Carrick is in charge. He has brought calm back to the club, and his depth of understanding, combined with his personality, might be why the Rashford plan does not go wrong if he stays at the club.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login