Marcus Rashford reunion to be finalised as Man United make up their mind

Reports last January suggested that the relationship between the player and manager had broken down to the point that Amorim would not speak with Rashford unless he was addressing the wider team. The winger then ultimately joined Aston Villa on a half-season loan after being deemed surplus to requirements to the first-team.

Despite enjoying a fruitful spell at Villa Park, the club ultimately opted not to exercise a £40million buy option to make his move permanent. Instead, Rashford returned to Greater Manchester.

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To get it, it's a simple one-two punch.

With Amorim still at the helm at the time, the England international had no prospect of making his way back into the first-team, instead, looking for another temporary or permanent exit from his boyhood club. That eventually came in the form of Barcelona, with the La Liga titans agreeing a season-long loan with a £26m option to buy this summer.

It was unfortunately a case of history once more repeating itself on Rashford's end, however. Despite impressing under Hansi Flick regardless of stiff competition in the form of Raphinha, Barcelona ultimately made the decision to bring in Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United in a £69m move rather than securing Rashford for far cheaper.

With the position now filled and Barcelona's plans on the left wing now seemingly set in stone, it it highly improbable that they will make another move for Rashford - who is once again set to return to United. However, the silver-lining for the Wythenshawe-born talent is that Amorim is no longer at the club.

Michael Carrick stepped in as interim head coach in January following the shock sacking of the Portuguese tactician after a sub-par start to 2025/26. And while his own tenure was complicated at best for the remainder of the season - it being unknown at first whether the club would afford him a permanent contract - Carrick has since signed a two-year deal.

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It means that Rashford, in-turn, has the chance to reintegrate into the United first-team under fresh stewardship, despite burning all bridges under the old regime. Should the forward's return to the club fall in line with the rest of the players from the Reds who represented their respective nations at the World Cup this summer, it means he will link up with his team-mates at next week's training camp in Maynooth, Ireland.

That would also put him in the picture to play for United for the first time in a year and a half against his former boss, Amorim. While United are set to take on Leeds United at Croke Park on August 12, Rashford could instead be utilised against AC Milan three days later in Wroclaw, Poland.

That would ultimately set him up for a bitter reunion with Amorim, who was appointed as the head coach of I Rossoneri earlier this summer in his first job since leaving United in January. It comes as Amorim could risk getting off on the wrong foot with one of Milan's brightest talents.

United were recently linked with a sensational swoop for Rafael Leao, although the club have since distanced themselves from a move with Fenerbahce now leading the race for the 27-year-old winger. And Amorim was quick to speak about the Portuguese talent's situation.

He told TuttoMercatoWeb: "Rafa is lucky to be at a club like Milan, so he should be happy. I feel that he's happy and motivated.

"I don't know what will happen between now and the end of the window, but I feel the group is really united. I haven't heard or seen any difference in Leao compared to the other lads."