Marcus Rashford could be "like a new signing" at Man United next season

Sports Mole's Football Editor Matt Law discusses Marcus Rashford and whether he has a future at Manchester United.

Matt Law, Football Editor: "I'm a little bit 50/50 with it at the moment"

It's a really interesting and difficult one. I'm a little bit 50/50 with it at the moment. 

Manchester United want a forward this summer, potentially a left-sided forward who could also play through the middle. Marcus Rashford can play left or central. 

He's not a centre forward and has had struggles in that position, but he can play as that forward player. In a big European game or away at Arsenal or Man City, when you need a threat on the break, Marcus Rashford is perfect for that. 

The interesting thing is that when his relationship with the club broke down, it came from his relationship with Ruben Amorim, a really poor relationship. No relationship at all. 

When he left, Amorim's decision was backed by senior figures at Manchester United including Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, who supported that decision given Rashford's alleged behaviour around the training ground, not being disruptive but just not engaged and not wanting to be there. 

He did have a good season at Barcelona: 14 goals, 14 assists. My slight worry is that Barcelona didn't want to pay £26m for him, an England international who's 28. 

The wages are big, and they went down the Gordon route for that position. Barcelona still want Alvarez, and Karim Adeyemi as well. That would be my concern: Barcelona watched him up close last season and said no. 

Garnacho is going for £43m, while Rashford, who has almost 150 goals for Manchester United, wasn't wanted for £26m. 

It wouldn't be a comeback for the ages, more of a welcome back. Once his break finishes in early August, he will be back with the club. Michael Carrick is a big fan of Marcus Rashford and feels like he could have a big influence. 

The signs point to him wanting to join a big European club. There was talk of Turkey, but he's not going there. Barcelona are out. Bayern are not going to go for him. PSG are not going to go for him this summer. Real Madrid are not going to go for him. 

Options are running out. He's been linked with Tottenham and Arsenal, but those are not going to happen. Man City is not happening. 

I struggle to see where he goes for the move he wants. He wants to continue playing in the Champions League. 

It'll have to be a situation where the club says: 'We are where we are. You're here. We need a player in that position. Let's start the season and see how we go.' 

By January it could have gone terribly wrong, or it could go the other way and he finds his groove again. He had a fabulous season not too long before leaving Manchester United. 

His contract runs until 2028 and he's on massive money at the club. He links up with the squad, and the suggestion is that a lot of the players think he's going to be there next season. 

My take would be to bring him back in, see how he fits, play him the last couple of preseason games, put him in the squad for the first game of the season, and bring him off the bench. 

See what his attitude is like. Is he engaged in training? Is he engaged with his teammates? Is he contributing? If those boxes are ticked, you keep him, and you've potentially got a massive weapon next season. 

If not, he leaves next summer and you're in the same situation anyway. No more damage can be done. He's sat in the stands for Manchester United before. He's sat on the bench. It wouldn't be a new situation for him, and it happened just before he left the club. 

Keep him until January, assess it, and see what happens. If they can get Marcus Rashford fit and firing and contributing, it'd be like a new signing.