Marcus Rashford scored England's fourth goal in their 4-2 World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday night. While the 28-year-old enjoyed a dream start to the tournament, his Manchester United future appears to be in tatters after a tumultuous decade at Old Trafford.
February 2016: A Dream Debut
Rashford made his debut for Manchester United on February 25, 2016, against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League. He scored twice in a 5-1 win (6-3 on aggregate). After the match, he wrote on social media: "A dream debut, great to score twice and contribute to the team." Three days later, he scored another brace in a 3-2 Premier League victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford. "This is my first game in the Premier League, so obviously it's been amazing," Rashford told Sky Sports. "To score two has been a bonus, so hopefully we can carry it on and go again the next game."
March 2016: Manchester Derby Hero
On March 20, 2016, Rashford became the youngest ever goalscorer in the Manchester derby, securing a 1-0 win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
May 2016: FA Cup and New Contract
Despite winning the FA Cup, Louis van Gaal was sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho on May 27. Three days later, Rashford signed a new contract until 2020 after ending his debut season with eight goals in 18 appearances. He was also named the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year.
2017: Europa League Glory
Rashford started the Europa League final, which United won 2-0 against Ajax. He played the most matches of any United player that season (53).
March 2018: Double Against Liverpool
On March 10, 2018, Rashford made his first start of the year and scored twice as United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford. Three days later, United crashed out of the Champions League against Sevilla, and Mourinho faced criticism for playing Rashford on the wing rather than as a centre-forward.
September 2018: Carragher Suggests Exit
Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports that Rashford might need to leave United, saying: "Romelu Lukaku is in front of Rashford and I don't see Rashford displacing him... Possibly Everton is the sort of club you are looking at." Mourinho fired back in a press conference, stating: "Marcus Rashford is not Dominic Solanke. He's Marcus Rashford, Manchester United player."
December 2018: Solskjaer's Arrival
Mourinho was sacked on December 18, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over. Rashford scored within three minutes of Solskjaer's first match, a 5-1 win over Cardiff City. Solskjaer praised him: "Marcus has been different class since I came. He's got all the chances in the world, the potential of being a top, top, top striker."
March 2019: PSG Heroics
Rashford scored his first competitive penalty for United in a stunning 3-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16, sending United through on away goals.
July 2019: New Contract
Rashford signed a new contract on July 1, keeping him at United until June 2023, with an option for a further year.
October 2020: First Hat-Trick
Rashford scored his first United hat-trick in a 5-0 Champions League win against RB Leipzig, becoming only the second United substitute to score a hat-trick after Solskjaer in 1999.
February 2021: 250th Appearance
He made his 250th appearance for United against West Ham, becoming the fourth youngest player to reach that milestone for the club.
October 2021: Shoulder Surgery
After Euro 2020, Rashford underwent shoulder surgery and returned to football on October 11, but his form took time to recover.
November 2021: Solskjaer Sacked
Solskjaer was sacked on November 21 after a defeat at Watford. Ralf Rangnick was appointed interim manager and warned United needed 'open heart surgery'.
July 2022: Ten Hag Appointed
Erik ten Hag was appointed as Solskjaer's successor.
December 2022: Contract Extension and Dropped
Rashford's contract was extended by a year on December 20. However, on New Year's Eve, he was dropped for the game against Wolves after oversleeping and missing the team briefing. He came on to score the winner in a 1-0 victory.
May 2023: 30 Goals and Player of the Year
Rashford scored his 30th goal of the season against Chelsea on May 25. Ten Hag said: "There's a lot of room for improvement... I'm convinced he could score even more." He was voted Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year.
July 2023: New Contract Until 2028
He signed a new contract expiring in 2028, making him one of the club's highest earners.
January 2024: Night Out and Sick Note
Rashford called in sick for the FA Cup clash against Newport County on January 28 after being spotted on a night out in Belfast. United said: "Marcus has taken responsibility for his actions. This has been dealt with as an internal disciplinary matter."
October 2024: Ten Hag Sacked
Ten Hag was sacked and replaced by Ruben Amorim.
December 2024: Dropped for Manchester Derby
Rashford started and scored in Amorim's first game (a 1-1 draw with Ipswich) on November 24. On December 15, Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were dropped for the Manchester derby. Amorim insisted no disciplinary issues were involved. Rashford then told journalist Henry Winter he was ready for a 'new challenge'. He did not play for United for the remainder of December.
January 2025: Amorim's Criticism
After not playing in January, Amorim said: "If things don't change, I will not change... I would put [goalkeeper coach Jorge] Vital before a player who doesn't give the maximum every day." United insisted Amorim was not singling out Rashford.
February 2025: Loan to Aston Villa
Rashford joined Aston Villa on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £40m.
July 2025: Return and Barcelona Loan
Villa did not sign him permanently, and he became part of United's 'Bomb Squad'. On July 23, United agreed a loan deal with Barcelona with a £26m option to buy.
June 2026: Barcelona Pass on Option
On June 15, Barcelona allowed the £26m buy option to expire and instead purchased Anthony Gordon from Newcastle. United's preferred option is to sell Rashford permanently.
