Exclusive: Man United forced into ‘halfway house’ after Rashford’s Barcelona move
Man United are in an awkward position with Marcus Rashford’s temporary move to Barcelona.
That is the view of football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the Red Devils will be happy with the deal they have done, even if it isn’t perfect.
United would have been hoping for a drama-free summer after a calamitous 2024/25 campaign that saw them miss out on European football, silverware and tens of millions of pounds after the sacking of Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth.
However, new-boss Ruben Amorim’s strained relationship with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford meant it was never going to be that simple, especially when the duo, alongside Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia, were barred from first-team training in the hopes that they would find suitors to complete a move away from Old Trafford.
The “bomb squad” are made up of a talented group of players, but all of whom have glaring issues, be it massive wages, injury issues or perceived attitude problems, that are making it difficult to convince other clubs to take them off United’s hands.
Man United content with short-term Rashford deal
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley, a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, explained why Man United will have been happy to loan Rashford to Barcelona, even if it meant doing so without the guarantee of a transfer fee.
He said: “I think this is where you end up at that halfway house, isn’t it.
“Because if you run the scenarios, if you can get a fee for him and it’s a decent fee, then you’ve got the transfer fee plus the wage bill saving.
“The middle ground is for now, you’ve got the wage bill saving and Barca have got the option to buy.
“Or the other side of it is he doesn’t, you can’t shift him. So I guess on those three examples, we’re in the middle, and I think United will feel that’s okay for now, given what they’re doing with their squad as well.
“In reality, you would always want the fee because that’s the transfer fee plus the wage saving. But this is a good halfway house for United at the moment, as it frees up some space on the wage bill and there is the option to buy a year down the line.”
Man United make Nicolas Jackson decision
Part of the motivation for selling the likes of Rashford and Garnacho has been to find upgrades in key areas, such as the striker position.
Rasmus Hojlund endured a miserable second season in Manchester, and the club are looking for alternatives to lead the line for Amorim.
After missing out on Viktor Gyokeres and Liam Delap, Man United are considering a move for Nicolas Jackson, Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider exclusively.
But the club will only pursue a deal for the Chelsea striker if the price is right, as the 20-time champions of England look to avoid making another expensive mistake up front.