Marcus Rashford's summer move has stopped looking like a clean exit. His £40m release clause has expired, Barcelona declined to trigger the €30m permanent option, and any club that wants him now has to deal directly with Manchester United. He has not played for United since December 2024, so this is no longer a routine return to a squad he has recently featured in.

Carrick's open door at United

Michael Carrick has not closed the door on a return. He said: "I just think there are decisions to be made in time, really, on certain things, and obviously Marcus is in that situation. But at this point in time, nothing's been decided. And it will be, because it has to be at a certain point, but at this stage, there's nothing to say."

He followed that up by saying there are "uncertainties, for sure", while adding that he enjoys working with players in his squad and trying to get the best out of them. That is about as far as the public line goes for now. United are not saying Rashford is out, and they are not saying he is back in. They are just leaving the door open.

Barcelona's choice and Rashford's timing

The Barcelona spell still explains why the permanent option was discussed at all. Rashford produced 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances, output that was strong enough to keep his future alive into the summer. But Barcelona still moved away from the deal and chose Anthony Gordon in a €80m (£69m) move instead.

Rashford's own view on timing was clear. He said: "I was very clear with everyone involved before the World Cup, I wanted it done before. If it's not, I wanted it to wait until after. I want to be fully present in the moment."

That leaves the situation in a fairly awkward place for United. Rashford reportedly turned down several transfer proposals, including some with higher wages than his current contract, so the next move is not just about finding a bidder. It is about finding one that suits the player, reaches United's valuation and survives the fact that the fast-track clause is gone. The easy exit route has already expired, and the rest now depends on club-to-club talks.

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