Marcus Rashford's return to Manchester United has not gone as he or the club's fans had hoped. After a relatively successful loan spell with Barcelona, the England forward came back chasing a fresh start and a return to his old status at Old Trafford. Instead he found a far more complicated reality. He has failed to deliver the contribution expected of him, and his future is under threat once more amid the Red Devils' declining results.
United are enduring a miserable season. They sit seventeenth in the Premier League after a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea last Saturday, a result that ramped up the pressure on the team and coach Michael Carrick ahead of two difficult fixtures against Roma on Tuesday and Aston Villa on Sunday.
According to French website "Foot Mercato", Rashford has become one of the club's most worrying issues after failing to seize the opportunity handed to him on his return from loan.
The England forward had impressed at both Aston Villa and Barcelona. He scored 4 goals and provided 6 assists in 17 matches for the English side, then netted 14 goals and set up 15 more in 49 games in the Catalan club's shirt. Those numbers helped restore his international standing and secured him a place in England's plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Barcelona wanted to keep him, but United's financial demands killed the deal. The Spanish club turned to other options, including Anthony Gordon, while Fenerbahce and Arsenal both registered interest in the player.
Rashford had not played for United since 12 December 2024 and the fixture against Viktoria Plzen, yet he stayed put and looked ready to turn a new page. He was handed the number 9 shirt and warmly welcomed back by his teammates in the dressing room.
Harry Maguire had defended him last August, insisting his presence would be an important addition. "We hope Marcus stays, because he will be a valuable player for us," the defender said. "He can improve the team's performance, as he represents a major threat to opponents, and I have played with him for many years and know his abilities well."
Carrick also gave him a chance to prove himself. The England forward failed to deliver, and his return quickly soured into fresh disappointment.
Rashford without goals: and the absence deepens the crisis
Eight matches in, Rashford has started six of them. He has not scored a single goal nor provided an assist, a tally that lays bare his attacking struggles. Worse still, United have won just once in the games he has featured in, a 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town on 30 August.
Two weeks ago, Carrick tried to take the pressure off the player. He pointed to some positive signs and explained that a minor physical problem had kept Rashford out of the England squad.
The coach said: "Marcus has delivered a good performance in many aspects. He was suffering from a minor injury when he had to withdraw from the national team squad, and we had to deal with the matter carefully. He does not get enough support, but he moves well, gets into good positions and creates some chances. And if he continues working in this way, he will eventually get the reward."
Things did not improve. Rashford managed just one minute against Tottenham on 10 October before dropping out of the picture. He sat on the bench against Leeds United, then missed three consecutive matches with a chronic problem in the hip area that has plagued him since the start of October.
His crisis runs deeper than his form or his injury. It stretches to the future of the coaching staff itself, with the player potentially facing a completely different situation should United's management dismiss Carrick and bring in a new coach.
Keeping Rashford at Old Trafford was largely tied to Carrick's desire to rely on him this season. Any change in the dugout could reopen the question of his departure and leave the England forward staring at an uncertain future once again, after he had hoped his return would mark the start of restoring his lost shine.