Carrick’s effort to keep Rashford revealed! Only wants to stay at Barça, return to Man United now impossible

The Daily Telegraph reports that if Carrick is officially appointed as Manchester United’s permanent head coach, he wishes for his old teammate Rashford to return to the team. They were teammates during the Van Gaal and Mourinho eras, and Rashford became Carrick’s player during his initial temporary managerial period.

But fans concerned about this 28-year-old English striker’s comeback can rest easy; Rashford’s return to Man United is highly unlikely. Setting aside that Carrick’s attempt to retain Rashford is based on a hypothetical scenario, even if the 44-year-old gets the chance to coach next season, Rashford’s comeback isn’t solely up to him.

It’s important to emphasize that the Telegraph’s report isn’t promoting Rashford’s return. On the contrary, chief football correspondent Jason Burt portrays Rashford’s low-profile life at Barcelona and how he’s rediscovered his joy for football. The final takeaway: it’s hard to imagine Rashford playing for Man United again! Mentioning Carrick’s opinion on Rashford only highlights the appeal generated by his excellent performance this season.

Someone familiar with Rashford once said something telling: “At Barça, even if the team struggles or loses, the blame doesn’t always fall on Marcus (Rashford). But at Man United, it’s never like that — losing always feels like his fault.”

Ruben Amorim, the coach who directly fell out with Rashford, once stated he’d rather have a 63-year-old goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player who doesn’t give his all. Although Amorim was dismissed, the relationship between Man United and Rashford has dissolved; the club took away his number 10 jersey, which now belongs to Cunha.

Sending Rashford away was also the club’s decision. Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanted to reduce wage expenses, and Rashford’s weekly salary was as high as £325,000. Therefore, Man United didn’t include a recall clause in the loan deal for the January transfer window, unlike most loan agreements which usually have such an option.

On the other hand, various signs indicate that the separation feeling is mutual. Rashford, whose contract with Man United runs until June 2028, is very happy at Barcelona and reluctant to leave. Moreover, at the end of this season, Barça has the option to activate a €30 million (£26 million) buyout clause. Coach Hans Flick is very interested, and if they decide to exercise it, Man United will have no choice but to let him go.

For a player like Rashford, this fee is quite low, but Barça currently faces financial pressure, and Rashford’s wages are also a hurdle. Barça didn’t pay a loan fee but took on his salary. Rashford agreed to a pay cut to join Barça and is far from being one of the highest earners in the squad.

The 37-year-old veteran Lewandowski’s contract expires in June, and he is expected to leave, which will free up funds for Barça. However, they might sign another striker. So far, there has been no official communication between Barça and Man United regarding Rashford, but this hasn’t caused any anxiety.

Barça can and is willing to wait, and so is Rashford. Rashford scored twice coming off the bench this week, and Flick’s comments after the Champions League match were interpreted as him signaling to the club his desire to buy Rashford permanently. Barça is expected to make an offer, hoping Man United will lower the price further. Meanwhile, Man United might be pushing back, telling Barça: we can recall Rashford, but no price drop!

“Speed, finishing, ball control — he has amazing qualities, truly,” said Flick. The German has followed Rashford’s career closely and was the key figure behind Barça’s loan move. He also told Rashford he hopes to reach a longer-term agreement.

Rashford still wastes chances on the field, and his defensive tracking remains insufficient. Flick told Rashford he’s definitely not an undisputed starter at Barça but values squad rotation and does not rely on the same 11 players every match.

Barça plays many matches each season, so Rashford will surely get plenty of opportunities, as he has this season. Rashford has accepted this and has been praised by Barça as a very united player who cares about the whole locker room, a perception different from how Red Devils fans see him.

Rashford scored a free kick in the Champions League for Barça, becoming the second English player after Beckham to score direct free kicks for two different Champions League clubs. His goal in Saturday’s La Liga match brought his tally to 10 goals this season, surpassing double digits, along with 12 assists. Statistics show Rashford achieved these goals and assists in 1,837 minutes, averaging involvement in a goal every 83.5 minutes.

Man United fans also know Rashford plays better when confident and relaxed, and Barça offers such an environment, unlike Man United or rumored suitors Paris Saint-Germain. Barça coach Flick speaks fluent English and often puts his arm around Rashford’s shoulder for one-on-one talks, continuously encouraging him. Sources say Flick’s greatest help to Rashford is providing comfort.

Flick is not the only Barça figure welcoming Rashford; former Leeds winger Raphinha, ex-Man City defender Eric Garcia, and former Arsenal goalkeeper Szczesny all look out for him. Rashford is learning Spanish, but many at the club still speak English.

More importantly, Rashford has a good relationship with Barça starlet Jamal. Rashford feels he and the 18-year-old Spanish prodigy share similarities, both rising to fame young and bearing great pressure. Jamal also speaks English and encouraged Rashford to join Barça via text before the signing.

English media revealed one of the first Spanish words Rashford learned was “chuche,” meaning candy or sweets. This comes from Jamal’s habit in training of teasing teammates by saying “Soy tu papa, chuche” (“I’m your daddy, sweetie”).

Rashford has moved out of Barcelona’s Torre Melina hotel and now lives in a luxury neighborhood near Castelldefels, a coastal town south of the city. Messi’s home was once there, just 20 minutes from Barça’s training ground at Ciutat Esportiva. The area is peaceful and within walking distance to the beach, where Rashford can enjoy fishing at the Llobregat Delta.

Rashford also said Spanish cuisine is much better than Britain’s, especially fresh fish. Those around him say he’s smiling again. Clearly, Rashford needed to leave Manchester, even England, not just Man United. His ex-girlfriend Lucia Loi reportedly also lives in Barcelona, and they have reconciled.

After the winter break ended in late December, Rashford posted on social media, perfectly summarizing everything. The England international, based in Barcelona, wrote: “Back to my happy place, fully recharged and ready for the challenges ahead.”

The Daily Telegraph reported Rashford’s strong desire to join Barça. His loan to Aston Villa last January was a stepping stone toward Barcelona. At that time, Rashford’s brother and agent Dwayne Maynard connected with Barcelona’s agency AC Talent. Barça wanted to loan him, but due to salary cap limits, the deal fell through.

Rashford understood that if he wanted to fulfill his “Barça dream,” he had to get playing time. His initial plan at Villa was only a six-month stay, fully aware of where he wanted to go. The path worked out, especially since Villa was competing in the Champions League and Rashford performed well, notably against Paris Saint-Germain.

At Man United, Rashford carries heavy responsibility as a top earner and academy product, and is a highly scrutinized star. In Spain, there have never been such rumors or worries. Rashford isn’t an easy player to manage, but for Flick, he has never been a big problem.

Therefore, although Rashford remains a Man United fan, watching all their games on TV and staying in touch with many teammates, some inside the club still support him, possibly including Carrick. However, as in the summer transfer window, Rashford only wants to go to Barça.

Barça and Man United need to discuss his future, and many clubs, including English and European ones, are monitoring the situation. If he plays again for Man United, it would be even more surprising. Of course, rumors will continue, as Rashford naturally attracts attention.