- Manchester United Champions League winner wants Marcus Rashford back at the club
- Canadian legend spent four years in Manchester
- Rashford is currently out on loan at Spanish side FC Barcelona
Former Manchester United star and Champions League winner Owen Hargreaves has expressed his hope that Marcus Rashford will return to the club. Speaking to TNT Sports, the former Canadian international praised Rashford’s brilliance during his loan spell at Barcelona, emphasising the impact he could bring back to United.
Hargreaves, who made 39 appearances for the club, said:
“He has done brilliantly at Barcelona. But again, I’d love to see him on the left-hand side. That’s probably the only spots where I think there’s a bit of space for somebody, in that left wing position. I think Marcus would suit brilliantly.”
He added:
“Sometimes the change of scenario is good for both, but I’d love to see him. I just love watching Marcus play. An academy boy, and the climate is different now so he might thrive in that as well. I hope he stays, but I can understand if he doesn’t as well.”
Currently out on loan at Barcelona, the English star has featured in 39 matches for the Catalonian side, contributing 10 goals and 13 assists, making him one of only 11 players across Europe’s top five leagues to reach double figures in both categories.
Rashford: A United legend?
Rashford’s exit was never going to be pretty. A United legend who joined the club at the age of seven, Rashford was one of the brightest sparks of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
426 games, 138 goals, and five major honours in the space of 10 seasons. But by the winter of 2025, tensions with head coach Ruben Amorim had reached a breaking point just one month into his tenure.
After six weeks on the sidelines, Amorim made waves in a January press conference following a 1–0 win over Fulham, revealing that he would rather place his 63-year-old goalkeeper coach, Jorge Vital, on the bench than include a player he believed was not giving his all in training.
Caught in that stalemate, Rashford spent the remainder of the season on loan at Aston Villa, seeking game time and a reset away from Old Trafford. When the summer window opened, he made the move abroad, joining Barcelona in search of a fresh challenge and the stage to remind the world of his talent.
During that time, Rashford’s iconic number 10 shirt—worn by the likes of Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best, and Wayne Rooney—was stripped and passed along to new signing Mathues Cunha.
Could a Return be on the Cards?
Amid rumours of a possible Rashford return, it’s important to analyse what has already been said.
“I think I’m ready for a new challenge,” he told Henry Winter in an exclusive interview on 17 December 2024.
He added:
“If I know that a situation is already bad I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past and I don’t want to be that person. When I leave I’ll make a statement and it will be from me.“
Rashford explained why he won’t hold a grudge:
“When I leave it’s going to be ‘no hard feelings’. You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.”
With only a few weeks left in the season, Barcelona face a crucial decision over whether to trigger the purchase option for Rashford.
According to Manchester Evening News reporter Tyrone Marshall, Manchester United are holding firm: either the Catalan side pays the €30 million (approx £25m) buy option, or Rashford returns to Old Trafford for pre-season. The Red Devils have made it clear they will not enter negotiations on the fee.
Manchester United believe their loanee winger’s strong form has boosted his market value, and they may be able to command a higher transfer fee should he return to the club.
