Manchester United are undergoing a period of significant transition. After a disappointing run this season, manager Erik ten Hag has been tasked with overhauling the squad and restoring the club’s former glory.
While a summer rebuild is on the cards, one player who seems unlikely to be leaving Old Trafford despite transfer rumours is Marcus Rashford.
Ten Hag’s Vision and Rashford’s Contract
United are said to be ready to sell the majority of their key players in a major overhaul at Old Trafford under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos-led ownership. However, rising talents Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Rasmus Hojlund are not available for transfer. Despite this, United are not actively seeking or anticipating offers for Rashford and would only consider a sale if the 26-year-old requested it, along with a transfer fee exceeding £70 million.
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag has dismissed reports suggesting that most of his squad is up for sale, labelling them as jokes and untrue. He maintains that he has a very good squad base. Ten Hag has also come to the defence of Rashford, who scored 30 goals last season but has only managed eight this term. He believes that Rashford is capable of scoring 25 or 35 goals every season.
Rashford’s Performance in a Challenging Season
Rashford has played a significant amount of football this season, with 2,960 minutes in all competitions. Only Andre Onana, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, and Alejandro Garnacho have played more.
Four of his teammates have scored more goals, including Scott McTominay, who has played 500 fewer minutes. Rashford’s current league stats, with 0.28 goals and 0.08 assists per 90 minutes, are his worst in seven years, and his 0.84 shots on target per 90 minutes are also a career low. However, Rashford’s form may reflect a wider issue within the team.
Ten Hag’s team has scored the joint-fewest goals among top-half clubs, with only 52 league goals. Defensively, United have faced over 600 shots in the Premier League, with only Sheffield United facing more per game.
Despite United considering a summer overhaul, they are unlikely to entertain offers for Marcus Rashford, recognising his importance to the team’s future. The club believes Rashford embodies their vision, and manager Erik ten Hag is keen to keep the 26-year-old forward in his plans, believing he has the potential to bounce back from this season’s dip in form.
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Rashford’s Contribution to United
The forward scored almost 30 percent of United’s league goals last season, which was unusual for his career. This season, that share has dropped to 13.5 percent, which is his career average excluding last season. However, Ten Hag reiterated his faith in Rashford and expressed hope that he can return to the “really brilliant” level that saw him achieve the best goal return of his career last year.
Erik Ten Hag expressed complete confidence in this assessment. Regarding Rashford’s defensive contributions, Ten Hag stated that he would address any issues directly, providing explanations and using data to support his approach.
Manchester United might be tempted by lucrative offers for Rashford, especially considering the current market value of top English players. The funds generated from a transfer could be used to acquire other targets on Ten Hag’s wishlist. However, such a decision would come with significant drawbacks.
Final Thoughts
While Manchester United is preparing for a summer rebuild, Marcus Rashford seems unlikely to be part of the exodus. Ten Hag’s vision, Rashford’s value on and off the pitch, and the potential difficulty of replacing him all suggest the club is placing its faith in homegrown talent to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, in its quest to return to the top.
