Wes Brown wants Marcus Rashford back at Manchester United, and his case is simple enough. Rashford would give Michael Carrick another attacking option, and Brown says Carrick would love him back. The problem is the money. Rashford is on £325,000-a-week wages, which makes any move awkward even before the wider squad picture is considered.
Brown's case for a return
Brown's strongest argument is not sentimental, it is practical. "I'm sure Michael Carrick would love him back because it gives him another option. If he could come into the scene this season, that helps out massively," he told mirror.co.uk.
There is a football case for that view. Rashford has two goal contributions in his last six recorded World Cup appearances, and a 6.9 rating in two of his last four recorded World Cup appearances suggests the level has not dropped off completely. He is still capable of giving a team something in the final third.
Brown also pointed to the wider squad work already done at United. The club have already completed deals for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa for a combined £85million, and Brown believes another forward would fit that build.
Why the deal is not straightforward
Brown did not dress it up as easy business. "He's on a lot of money, Marcus, so I think that's the only point that may make a move more difficult," he said.
That is the real issue. Even if Carrick likes the idea, the wages are a serious barrier, and United's squad planning is not just about adding one name. Brown said he would love another striker, while Louis Saha warned that United will be in four competitions for most of next season and playing twice a week. Saha's point is hard to ignore. If United want to handle that load properly, they need more than one attacking option, not fewer.
Brown's view lines up with that. He is not selling Rashford as a guaranteed solution, just as a player who would improve the depth chart if the numbers can be made to work.
The market noise around Rashford keeps that door open. Barcelona reportedly moved for him before turning to Anthony Gordon instead, while links have also surfaced around Liverpool and AS Roma. A clause allowing a £40m exit has expired, and it did not apply to Manchester City or Liverpool. On the Roma side, the talk has even drifted into a possible swap involving Manu Koné, but that idea is still only talk, not a deal.
Brown's stance is the more convincing one here. Rashford is not being framed as a finished player, and he does not need to be for the move to make sense. The obstacle is financial, not footballing, and that is why his name is still hanging around United discussions rather than disappearing from them.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
