Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United Future Uncertain as Exit Clause Expires

By George Aldridge — 16 July 2026 — 3 min read

Marcus Rashford’s exit clause from Manchester United has expired, meaning any potential transfer will now require direct negotiation between clubs. The clause, which was valued at £40 million, was not applicable to United’s rivals, Manchester City and Liverpool.

The 28-year-old forward, who has been with England at the World Cup, is contracted to Old Trafford until 2028. He is expected to rejoin United for pre-season training with other teammates who participated in the latter stages of the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Last season, Rashford was on loan at Barcelona, where he made 49 appearances across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 14 assists. Barcelona had the option to make his move permanent but chose not to. His role at Barcelona is now likely to be filled by England teammate Anthony Gordon, following his arrival from Newcastle United.

Future at Old Trafford

Sources familiar with the situation indicate that Rashford has declined several proposals from other clubs, some of which were more financially beneficial than his current agreement with Manchester United. His future is currently uncertain, though he is set to return to United for pre-season.

Rashford has not featured for United’s first team since December 2024. He spent time on loan at Aston Villa before his spell at Barcelona. His departure on loan to Aston Villa occurred after he fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim, who is now in charge at AC Milan.

There is a possibility that Rashford could reintegrate into the United squad under Michael Carrick. Carrick, who was appointed permanent head coach in May after initially replacing Amorim as caretaker in January, guided United back into the Champions League with a third-place finish. He has expressed excitement about the upcoming season, stating, “We know we’ve got what it takes to beat the best teams in this league.”

Rashford came through United’s academy and has made more than 400 appearances for the club, scoring 138 goals since his debut in February 2016. Despite his history with the club, his relationship with United was reportedly strained after he was substituted during a Europa League match in December 2024.

Pre-season and squad developments

United’s pre-season training has already commenced, with their first friendly scheduled for Saturday against Wrexham in Helsinki. The club has a series of six friendlies before the new campaign begins, including matches against Rosenborg in Trondheim on 24 July, Atlético Madrid in Stockholm on 1 August, Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August, Leeds in Dublin on 12 August, and Milan in Wroclaw on 15 August. The Premier League season for United will begin a week later with an away fixture at Hull.

Rashford is expected to have a three-week break following the conclusion of England’s World Cup campaign. If England reaches the World Cup final, the earliest he could return to United would be 10 August.

In terms of squad developments, United has reached an agreement with Chelsea for the transfer of Andrey Santos. The midfielder, who has six Brazil caps, was not part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad that was eliminated from the World Cup by Norway.

Carrick’s midfield options are also expected to be strengthened by Éderson, who is in line to join from Atlanta. The 27-year-old, who appeared for Brazil in their defeat to Norway, is yet to complete his medical. Carrick also maintains an interest in Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

United’s preference would be to manage their wage bill, but a lack of suitable suitors has complicated any potential move for Rashford. His future is likely to remain unconfirmed for the time being as he concludes England’s World Cup campaign, which will end with the bronze medal match on Saturday.

Source: nytimes.com