4 hours Ago By Sam Smith
Manchester United’s race to offload Marcus Rashford as early in the summer as possible could be about to take a huge blow. The forward has suffered a hamstring injury which is likely to rule him out for the rest of the season. United, who are reportedly in talks with loan club Aston Villa over ending Rashford’s temporary stay, are keen to sell the England international this summer.
He does not feature as part of Ruben Amorim ’s plans and his departure will partially fund a rebuild of the Portuguese coach’s squad ahead of the 2025-26 season. Sealing his departure on or before June 30 could also be important. That is because whatever fee United receive for Rashford, who is reportedly valued at £40million, can be filed in their accounts for the 2024-25 season.
The 2025-26 season officially begins on July 1. Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) prohibit Premier League clubs from losing £105m over a given three-year period. In January, United revealed in a letter to fans that they are at risk of breaching the regulations, admitting that “significant losses” have prompted a rise in ticket prices and wide-ranging cuts across the club’s business.
Selling Rashford before July 1 will go a long way towards helping United pass PSR for the past three years. However, some clubs might be dissuaded from rushing to sign the 27-year-old if his hamstring injury turns out to be worse than initially feared. Rashford will undergo a scan on the issue later this week.
He missed Villa’s 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final and wide-ranging reports suggest he may be set to miss the rest of the campaign. A more severe hamstring injury could see Rashford facing a race against time to be fit for pre-season, leaving clubs wondering whether they should meet United’s valuation for the player so soon. United will be hoping that the issue is only minor.
They would then be better placed to convince clubs to splash the cash on their academy graduate over the coming months. Rashford’s departure is set to be one of a number of exits from Old Trafford over the summer, with Amorim expected to be brutal when deciding the futures of his under-performing players. Antony, who has spent the second half of the season on loan at Real Betis, and Casemiro are among the stars who have been linked with leaving the club.
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