Man Utd U-turn on Marcus Rashford again as two transfer options emerge

17 Aug 2026 16:01 BST | 5 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Make us your Google favourite

Manchester United are refraining from making a definitive judgement on the future of Marcus Rashford as there could yet be another major twist in the tale before Deadline Day.

Article continues under the video

The England star has returned to the club and made his first appearance since late 2024 on Saturday in a friendly clash against AC Milan and, ironically, the head coach who effectively ended his spell at Man Utd - or so it seemed.

Ruben Amorim watched his new side prevail 4-2 over the Red Devils and Rashford, who showed glimpses but ultimately did not have an overwhelmingly positive impact.

Current ETV

Marcus Rashford

F, M (L)

Man Utd

Marcus Rashford

F, M (L)

Man Utd

ETV Range

€28.1M - €34.4M

The fact that he is even back in a Man Utd shirt, though, is something that seemed unthinkable just a few weeks ago. After being shipped out on loan to Barcelona last year, Rashford's days at his boyhood club looked numbered.

However, the Catalan club's refusal to take up their €30 million purchase option threw a spanner in the works. With Man Utd unwilling to settle for a lower fee, Rashford's future is now in limbo.

Will Rashford stay or go?

Only two weeks remain in the transfer window, but it is still not entirely clear where Rashford will play this season. He has been reintegrated into Michael Carrick's squad, but that could mean very little come Deadline Day.

Man Utd likely didn't expect that Rashford and his hefty wage would still be on the books at this point. This, in conjunction with a general lack of lucrative sales, means that the club remain open to offers, as the BBC points out.

The Old Trafford side's main priority in the market is to bring in a new left-back before the window shuts, but they need funds to be able to do more. Top target Lewis Hall, whom Newcastle insist is not for sale, is certainly out of reach unless resources are freed up.

It is therefore not guaranteed that Rashford stays put, but a lot will also depend on the player. The 28-year-old has been very clear that he won't just join any club - he is looking for the right project.

Rashford will only consider transfers to elite European teams. He does not want to join another Premier League club, nor is he keen on a transfer to Turkey, where Galatasaray are concretely interested.

Nevertheless, Haberturk claims that the Englishman has been offered to the Istanbul giants. It is asserted that intermediary George Gardi, who has a very close relationship with Galatasaray, has told them that he could sign Rashford.

Gardi has been instrumental in the club's major recent business, such as the record-shattering €75m signing of Victor Osimhen last year. However, the report adds that Gala's top target remains AC Milan winger Rafael Leao.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk writes that Barcelona remain in ongoing contact with Rashford's camp. They are still assessing whether or not to make a fresh move for him.

The Catalans are desperate for attacking reinforcements after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. At present, they only have Egyptian wonderkid Hamza Abdelkarim and wingers like Anthony Gordon who can play as centre-forwards.

It has been suggested that Hansi Flick could copy Luis Enrique's approach at PSG of playing without a recognised No.9, but Barcelona's transfer activity tells a different story: the German manager wants at least one proper senior striker.

However, with a deal for Atletico Madrid superstar Julian Alvarez looking nigh on impossible, the club's hands may be tied, which could make the versatile Rashford a very attractive opportunity.

In an interview last year, Rashford admitted that he had warmed to the idea of playing as a striker, although Flick primarily used him as a left-winger anyway. His openness to playing as a No.9 could now come in handy - if Barcelona reignite their interest in him.