Teddy Sheringham has made the headline point as bluntly as possible: Manchester United should be in control of Marcus Rashford's future, not the player himself. Rashford is tied to a lucrative £325,000-a-week deal with two years remaining, and Sheringham says the club still has the authority to decide what happens next. He also floated the most inflammatory route in the debate, saying a move to Liverpool would be the "ultimate betrayal" to United fans.

The power battle around Rashford

"Manchester United should be in control of the Marcus Rashford situation, not Marcus Rashford. He is still a Manchester United player," Sheringham told express.co.uk. That is the heart of his view. He is not selling a transfer prediction so much as arguing that United cannot let a long contract become a point of weakness.

Sheringham backed that up with a straight contract line, saying that if a deal has been signed, both sides should honour it. He also made the point that Rashford remains a United player, which is why he thinks the club should still be able to use him rather than hand away the leverage.

Why Liverpool changed the tone

Sheringham's Liverpool comment is what gives the story its edge. "Marcus Rashford to Liverpool would feel like the ultimate betrayal to Manchester United fans but what if Manchester United don't want him?" he said. It is a sharp line because it shifts the discussion away from fantasy transfer chatter and toward a harder question about control.

That does not mean a Liverpool move is happening. It does mean the symbolic damage would be obvious if it ever did. Sheringham was clear that the bigger issue is whether United want to keep Rashford in the first place, and if they do, then they should be the ones setting the terms.

Rashford's contract length gives United a strong hand for now, but the club's position only matters if it is willing to use it. Sheringham's view is that United should keep Rashford in the squad if he is still part of the plans, and use that situation to get "that extra forward back in the squad that Michael Carrick needs."

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →