Manchester United have no plans to reintegrate Marcus Rashford into the first-team squad, the BBC reported on Thursday, signalling the club’s intent to move on from the 27-year-old forward this summer.
Rashford has not featured for United since December 12, when he was left out of the squad for the Manchester derby, and spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan at Aston Villa. The BBC’s report states that the club’s position is firm regardless of who occupies the managerial dugout next season. Rashford’s current contract runs until June 2028, having signed an extension worth a reported £300,000 per week in July 2023.
The BBC did not name a specific journalist on the piece, published within its Thursday gossip column roundup. No other Tier-1 outlet has independently reported the same language about United’s plans, though The Athletic has previously reported that Rashford’s camp had been exploring a permanent move away from Old Trafford since January.
Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances across all competitions for United since making his debut in February 2016. He remains the club’s highest-paid homegrown player and was widely viewed as the face of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, despite a downturn in form that saw him manage just seven Premier League goals in 2023-24.
The decision effectively forces United into a significant attacking rebuild this summer. The club have already confirmed the £62.5m signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but replacing Rashford’s output on the left side of the attack is understood to be a priority for sporting director Dan Ashworth and the INEOS-led recruitment team.
Several clubs are expected to monitor Rashford’s situation, though the financial package involved, wages plus a fee for a player under long-term contract, narrows the field. Villa, who covered a portion of his salary during the loan, have not indicated whether they will pursue a permanent deal.
Rashford’s camp has not commented publicly. United are expected to confirm their retained list in the coming weeks, at which point the club’s position may be formalised further.
