Manchester United have included Marcus Rashford in more social media posts as the summer has gone on, sparking a conspiracy theory among supporters that the club is preparing fans for his reintroduction following Barcelona's decision not to sign him.
Rashford is currently on course to report for pre-season at Carrington after amicable talks between United and his team. The option of reintegrating him is on the table.
Return Timeline
United have historically given players who featured at an international tournament at least three weeks off. Rashford represented England at the World Cup this summer, so he is expected to return around Monday, August 10.
That means Rashford could be involved with the team for the trip to Dublin to face Leeds in the penultimate pre-season friendly. The Reds will play AC Milan in their final pre-season clash three days later. Ruben Amorim is now in charge of Milan, raising the prospect of Rashford crossing paths with the manager who was at the helm when he left United.
Reintegration Prospects
The current indicators suggest that a reintegration could happen. Rashford will be welcomed back to Carrington to train with the team, and Michael Carrick has played with him, coached him, and briefly managed him. Carrick will feel uniquely positioned to get the best out of Rashford. He is not the type of character to rock the boat to force Rashford's return, but Carrick refused to close the door on the forward when asked about him last season.
The fact that positive talks have taken place and Rashford is on course to return for pre-season says a lot about which direction the situation is heading, although another twist in the saga cannot be ruled out.
Transfer Window Uncertainty
Rashford has turned down lucrative offers this summer because they were not the right fit, but he could still leave United if an appropriate offer arrives. United's preference at the start of the window was to offload Rashford on a permanent transfer. That hard stance may have softened slightly, but it's still thought to remain in place.
"It's a long window, let's see what happens by the end of it," was the message from a United source over Rashford's future last month.
The club are acting sensibly with Rashford. He could not be exiled after his break following the World Cup because that would have damaged United's bargaining power in negotiations with potential suitors. Barcelona declined their option to sign Rashford for £26million. That figure is public knowledge and United have looked to tread carefully with Rashford to prevent a potential sale fee lowering further.
Arguments For and Against
There are two sides to the Rashford argument. United want to strengthen their left flank and reintegrating Rashford would be a convenient and effective way to do so, while Carrick would get a tune out of him. Rashford contributed 14 goals and 14 assists for Barcelona last season and signing a replacement who is an upgrade for a similar price would be close to impossible, but there are also plenty of points in the 'arguments against' column.
Rashford was given plenty of chances at United before Amorim decided he'd seen enough and turfed him out. His United career survived a boozy jaunt to Belfast and a visit to a nightclub after a Manchester derby defeat, which Erik ten Hag branded "unacceptable". His body language during games was a concern, he was consistently inconsistent, and some feel it is best for the two parties to go their separate ways, and that's without mentioning that he earns £325,000 per week.
The problem is that all the reasons arguing against Rashford's return will be ignored if he is reintegrated and scores goals. There could be even more Rashford social media posts from United cropping up in a few weeks' time.
