Man Utd want to sign “one of the best players in the world”

The noise is getting louder regarding a potential return to Manchester United for Marcus Rashford, but is this really the best move for all parties?

The expectation was that after a creditable season on loan at Barcelona, the 28-year-old would get his wish and stay put in Catalonia permanently, not least with the LaLiga giants boasting a meagre €30m (£25m) buy option.

Alas, the deadline to trigger that clause has since come and gone, with Rashford forced to watch England teammate Anthony Gordon seal his own dream move to Camp Nou instead on a bumper £69m deal.

The two men are also fighting it out for a starting berth on the World Cup stage, yet despite some positive moments, Wednesday’s win over DR Congo was a real regression for the United man, as Gordon changed the game from the bench.

It felt like watching the Rashford who toiled in his latter days at Old Trafford, suggesting INEOS would be wise to still look elsewhere for a left-wing solution.

Why Rashford return would be a mistake for Man Utd

Talk of a re-integration for the exiled star hasn’t exactly come as a bolt from the blue, with reports earlier this year indicating that a return could be on the cards, amid Barca’s hesitancy over striking a permanent deal.

With Rashford’s former teammate, Michael Carrick, now at the helm, the chance of a homecoming has also been bolstered, even if it is the same INEOS regime that backed Ruben Amorim’s decision to cast him aside over 18 months ago.

Maybe the Old Trafford hierarchy have learned their lesson from a year ago, with the use of a so-called ‘bomb squad’ not exactly the best negotiating tool, with interested clubs able to make lowball offers for the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Antony.

The idea of bringing Rashford back into the side could then be a negotiation tactic, although if it is not, that might mark something of a mistake, with it having looked for all the world that this was the end of the road for his time in Manchester.

He did notch 28 goals and assists in Catalonia last term in all competitions, although much of that impact came from the bench, having since also scored as a substitute in England’s opening group game against Croatia.

On his second start in a row against DR Congo, ‘Rashy’ got little change out of a certain Aaron Wan-Bissaka, boasting a 100% pass accuracy rate yet providing no key passes and no successful crosses.

While Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice rose to the occasion in that hard-fought contest, Rashford was among those who appeared to shrink, having not taken the chance handed to him by Thomas Tuchel.

That should have alarm bells ringing back in Manchester, with an upgrade still required on the flanks.

Man Utd could sign “one of the best players in the world”

The priority remains the midfield unit, although that hasn’t stopped the speculation surrounding possible attacking reinforcements this summer.

Indeed, as per reports in Spain, United are believed to be among the sides best-placed to sign Real Madrid sensation, Vinicius Junior, should he depart the Bernabeu this summer.

The 25-year-old does only have a year left to run on his existing deal with Los Blancos, with no progress made on signing an extension as yet.

If he is to leave the Spanish capital, the suggestion is that there are only five clubs who have a ‘realistic’ chance of signing him, with United joined by Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

His contract status would ensure that a transfer fee could be as little as €90m (£78m), a potential bargain for arguably “one of the best players in the world“, in the view of Brazil boss, Carlo Ancelotti.

At a time when there is still such a clamour for Neymar to take centre stage for the five-time World Cup winners, it is Vini Jr who is currently front and centre, already up to four goals in the tournament so far.

Like he showed in the opener against Morocco, give him a mere inch and he will exploit it, boasting such a devastating combination of breathtaking speed and elite finishing prowess.

Even after a difficult year in Madrid, this still remains a player at the peak of his powers, a true delight to watch who can win a game on his own.

In all, he scored and assisted 21 goals in LaLiga last term, ahead of Rashford’s own return of 15, scoring a goal once every 177 minutes, while the Englishman scored once every 220 minutes.

Rashford did come out on top for big chances created (eight vs seven), although Vini Jr bettered his Barcelona counterpart with regard to key passes per game (1.9 vs 1.4), as well as enjoying a particularly superior record with regard to successful dribbles completed (2.4 vs 0.9).

That latter record is particularly damning, with Rashford seemingly no longer able or willing to breeze past opponents, instead so often cutting inside to produce a whipped cross into the box.

The Brazilian, meanwhile, tortures opposition full-backs, so adept at weaving his way into the penalty area to wreak havoc from that left-sided berth.

Whether an actual deal for United is realistic remains to be seen, but this truly is the cream of the crop and the type of signing that could take the Red Devils to a whole new level.

In Rashford’s case, there is a sense of ‘been there done that’ which just can’t be shaken.