It’s almost 18 months since Marcus Rashford was last seen in a Manchester United shirt, with the England international trudging away after a spirited performance away to Viktoria Plzen in December 2024.
The ensuing absence from the Manchester derby marked the beginning of the end for Ruben Amorim as manager, despite a bright start with three goals in the first two Premier League games.
With reports of a night out ahead of the two games against Everton, one too many misdemeanors proved decisive and Rashford only made one more match-day squad before heading to Aston Villa in January.
A dream move to Barcelona then materialized and while it looks likely that he will remain at Camp Nou permanently, talk of a return to Manchester remains, especially with Michael Carrick back in charge.
manchester united rashford | ||
|---|---|---|
manager | game | the goal |
solskjaer | 135 | 55 |
Mourinho | 125 | 28 |
Tembabaa | 113 | 42 |
Rangnick | twenty two | 2 |
Van Gaal | 18 | 8 |
Amorim | 6 | 3 |
Van Nistelrooy | 4 | 0 |
carrick | 3 | 0 |
total | 426 | 138 |
A possible return may well be necessary given the lack of depth in the side, but could all that change this summer?
Man United could accept bid to replace Rashford
United probably haven’t had a winger in their current ranks since the days when left-sided wingers were the norm. Patrick Dorg is often traded as a left-back or wing-back, and even Matheus Cunha is not a traditional wide man.
The INEOS regime oversaw a mass exodus of forward players last summer, with Rashford and Jadon Sancho both loaned out and Alejandro Garnacho sold to Chelsea.
Midfielders are a priority for the summer, but the left flank cannot be ignored, and Sportboom reported in recent days that United are on the shortlist for Bodø/Glimt sensation Jens Petter Hauge.
As reports earlier this week pointed out, the Red Devils and rivals Manchester City are currently monitoring the situation, with Arsenal also firmly on board with a move for the Norwegian.
The Champions League surprise package intends to cash in on the 26-year-old for a reasonable price, with an offer of around £35m thought to be likely to be accepted.
Former AC Milan manager Hauge has had his statements about leaving his home country backfire in the past, but will things be different this time around?
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Hauge’s fruitful second spell at Bodo would suggest that the old cliché of ‘never looking back’ is not necessarily accurate, but in Rashford’s case you can see why bringing the 28-year-old back into the squad would dredge up old wounds.
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Indeed, unlike the Scandinavian who departed for Milan as a bright youngster in 2020 and returned four years later, Rashford’s initial departure was not exactly a warm farewell after a tumultuous few seasons on and off the field.
Apart from a high of 30 goals in 2022/23, the former wonderkid has struggled on both fronts, particularly scoring just four league goals in 2021/22 and just seven in 2023/24.
Although he is starting to come back to life in his current home, with 24 goals and assists in all competitions, he is still not guaranteed a starter under Hansi Flick, starting just 22 of his 40 games so far.
A permanent departure for United, whether to Barça or another club, seems to be in the best interest of all parties, as it gives United the opportunity to land the perfect replacement in the form of Hauge without having to spend a fortune.
The Norwegian star has enjoyed an impressive form since returning to his former employers, now scoring 62 goals and providing 55 assists in 218 games over two years at the club.
Hauge played a particularly important role in the team’s run to the last 16 of this season’s Champions League, scoring six goals in just 12 games, three of which came in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
Attacking on the left, he is extremely deadly in the final third, whether cutting in with his favored right foot or defeating opponents with his personal brilliance.
For example, in the Champions League, he averaged 2.4 successful dribbles and 2.3 key passes per game, indicators of his quality, while Rashford only averaged 0.9 and 1.3 successful completions respectively for the same two metrics.
Even if Carrick remains in the dugout, United should avoid the easy option of simply bringing Rashford back into the team, and INEOS need to look to the future with an exciting, relatively low-cost signing like Hauge.
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