Rashford expected to return August 10, future uncertain before transfer deadline

According to the Manchester Evening News, the transfer of Manchester United forward Rashford is still uncertain, and the club may reinstate him into the squad.

As the summer transfer window progresses, Manchester United has posted more content featuring Rashford on social media. These subtle social media posts have sparked speculation among fans that, since Barcelona ultimately did not sign Rashford, Manchester United is paving the way for his return.

After cordial discussions between Manchester United and Rashford's team, he is currently expected to return to Carrington training ground for pre-season preparations. The option of readmitting him is on the table.

Manchester United traditionally grants players participating in international competitions at least three weeks of vacation. Rashford represented England in the World Cup this summer, so he is expected to rejoin the squad around August 10th Beijing time (CEST).

This means Rashford could travel with the team to Dublin for a pre-season friendly against Leeds United, which would be Manchester United's penultimate pre-season match. Three days later, Manchester United will face AC Milan in their final pre-season game. Alessandro Amorim now manages Milan, which increases the possibility of Rashford reuniting with the coach who previously let him go.

From now until the close of the summer window, no one can accurately predict Rashford's future. He is a prominent player, and if he is ultimately readmitted by Manchester United, it would be major news. All signs currently indicate that a return is possible. Rashford will return to Carrington to train with the team, and Carrick, who played alongside him, coached him, and briefly served as his manager, will be there.

Carrick believes he has a unique ability to bring out the best in Rashford. He is not someone who would create trouble to force Rashford's return, but when asked about the forward last season, Carrick did not completely close the door.

The positive communication between both parties and Rashford's imminent return for pre-season largely indicate the direction of events – though new variables cannot be ruled out. Rashford rejected several high-salary offers this summer because those teams were not suitable for him, but he could still leave Manchester United if a suitable offer arises.

Manchester United's initial preference at the start of the transfer window was to permanently sell Rashford. This strong stance may have softened slightly, but it is understood to still exist. "The transfer window is long, let's see what happens in the end," a Manchester United source commented on Rashford's future last month.

The club's handling of Rashford is sensible. After the World Cup break, he cannot be directly excluded from the first team, as that would weaken Manchester United's bargaining power in negotiations. Barcelona previously waived their option to buy out Rashford for £26 million, a figure that has been made public. Manchester United has been carefully managing Rashford's situation to prevent a further reduction in potential transfer fees.

There are two sides to the debate surrounding Rashford. Manchester United wants to strengthen the left flank, and readmitting Rashford is a convenient and effective way to do so, with Carrick able to get the best out of him. Rashford contributed 14 goals and 14 assists for Barcelona last season, and signing a replacement of comparable quality at that price point would be almost impossible. However, the arguments against are equally numerous – Rashford was given many chances at Manchester United until Amorim felt he had seen enough and let him go. His Manchester United career has included the Belfast drinking incident and going to a nightclub after a Manchester derby loss, actions Ten Hag once called "unacceptable." His body language on the pitch is worrying, and his performance is consistently unstable. Some believe it would be best for both parties to go their separate ways, not to mention his £325,000 weekly wage.

The issue is that if Rashford ultimately returns and consistently scores goals, the reasons against his return will be ignored. In a few weeks, Manchester United might even post more content about Rashford on social media.

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