Marcus Rashford remains a Manchester United player as the transfer window deadline approaches, though his departure cannot be completely ruled out. The winger’s fractured relationship with Ruben Amorim and subsequent temporary stints at Aston Villa and Barcelona have been extensively reported. What happens next for the 26-year-old academy product remains uncertain.
After taking time off following the World Cup, Rashford rejoined the United squad and appeared happy to be back. Smiling broadly in Dublin, the England international then featured for half an hour against Amorim’s AC Milan on Saturday. At present, Rashford is staying at Old Trafford, and with each day that passes that outcome appears increasingly probable.
With that in mind, United must now consider how to deploy Rashford this campaign. Rashford naturally operates on the left flank, though opportunities could arise there. Dorgu has been repositioned to that role during the summer but is still adapting, while Cunha has also featured on the left, though that was largely due to circumstances.
Carrick may be tempted to explore alternative positions for Rashford, though using him as the main striker would be counterproductive. When Rashford initially joined Barcelona, Flick informed journalists that the player could feature as a number nine or eleven. The adjustment was made because Torres required careful management, and the coaching staff wanted to assess his adjustment to the position.
Flick made those comments after Rashford found the net while playing centrally during a 5-0 pre-season win against Daegu. Despite this, Rashford subsequently operated as the sole striker in just three La Liga fixtures for the Catalan side.
His initial appearance in that capacity came on the first matchday against Mallorca. He would not feature there again until April. In fact, during a period when Lewandowski was sidelined and Torres was misfiring, Rashford was being considered for the striker role but instead Olmo operated as a false nine. That demonstrated precisely what Flick thought of that solution.
There may come a time when Carrick develops similar curiosity about deploying Rashford through the middle. Recent weeks have seen speculation about acquiring a new centre-forward diminish as attention turns to securing a midfielder and left-back.
Sesko has been absent throughout pre-season while recovering from the injury sustained against Liverpool in early May. Sesko did participate in training at Carrington on Tuesday, though his lack of summer game time means consistency at centre-forward may not arrive until late summer.
During his layoff, Zirkzee, Mbeumo and Zirkzee have all been tested in attack. Mbeumo has stood out, finding the net three times, and is set to start against Hull on Saturday. Should United require alternative options to lead the line, that search must extend beyond Rashford.
This campaign will prove crucial for the academy graduate. To successfully reintegrate into the squad, Rashford must be deployed in his optimal role, which is on the left flank. Carrick will not be doing Rashford any favours by playing him centrally.
United have previously attempted this approach without success. If this genuinely represents a fresh start for Rashford at the club, the team must begin correctly and maximise his prospects for achievement. Only by deploying him on the wing will United accomplish precisely that.