Sheringham says Rashford must answer two key questions before any Man Utd return

Teddy Sheringham has outlined the conditions under which Marcus Rashford could realistically return to Manchester United, warning that the 28-year-old forward must first clarify whether his poor form under Ruben Amorim stemmed from a personal issue with the manager or a deeper problem with the club itself.

Rashford has impressed during his loan spell at Barcelona this season, and the La Liga club hold an option to purchase him permanently. However, Barcelona’s ongoing financial difficulties mean they would prefer to extend the loan arrangement for a further season rather than trigger a full transfer. United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is understood to favour securing a permanent fee, while speculation has grown that incoming manager Michael Carrick could offer Rashford a route back to Old Trafford.

Sheringham, speaking to Boyle Sports, was sceptical that a return would benefit either party. “If he did want to come back he could explain his motives over the last couple of years,” he said. “Did he have a problem with Ruben Amorim? Or does he have a problem with the football club? If he’s got no problem with the club, and it was all due to the previous manager, that’s an issue that can be solved, and all can be forgiven — but some of the performances he was putting in during his last season weren’t great.”

The former United and England striker placed particular weight on the relationship between Rashford and Carrick, suggesting the new manager’s long-term future at the club makes the decision especially consequential. “Michael Carrick has to make the decision on whether he knows Rashford well enough to get the best out of him,” Sheringham said. “It’s all about their relationship, for me, because it looks like Carrick is going to be at Manchester United as manager for a long, long time, and he’s got to get in the players who will respond to him.”

Sheringham ultimately concluded that a reunion would be ill-advised. “I think Rashford coming back to United would be a bad move for all concerned because the pressure would be on him and the team at every moment.”

Looking ahead to the summer World Cup, Sheringham also raised doubts about Rashford’s suitability for international tournament football, pointing to a lack of consistency as the central concern. “He always has the potential to unleash something every now and again, go past four people and rifle one into the top corner, but we only see flashes of it,” he said. “He’s still not a consistent player, but at a World Cup you do need people to come alive in certain moments.” Sheringham added that he remains uncertain about what Rashford’s best position actually is, despite the forward’s undeniable moments of world-class quality.