So what now? AC Milan is eliminated. Barcelona cannot afford him. And Borussia Dortmund are now withdrawing. So where will things go for a player who is clearly outside the plans of Ruben Amorim, the United manager? Well, that's easy. At least, it's on paper…
As Milan attempt to complete a deal for Manchester City captain Kyle Walker today, management also faces the task of signing a knocked-out Noah Okafor. The Swiss international suddenly finds himself back at Casa Milan after an agreed move to Red Bull Leipzig fell through in midweek.
Okafor's departure was part of the plan. After a week of meetings with Maynard, Milan directors assured Rashford's sibling that space would be created within Sergio Conceicao's squad by transferring Okafor to RBL. The salary saved and squad place created would be enough to give Rashford a 'dry' loan deal for the second half of the season – and with the promise that terms for a permanent transfer would be agreed with United in June.
But those plans are now in tatters with RBL pulling out of the deal after Okafor completed his medical treatment. The fact that the striker arrived with a load deterred the Germans, who insisted that the Swiss be immediately available.
So Okafor is back in Milan. Rashford is stuck in Manchester. And Leipzig no longer has an inside forward…
It should be easy, right? After last week's time in Milan, surely Maynard is organizing a private jet to Germany and Leipzig today? They are not Bayern Munich or Bayer Leverkusen. But RBL, who sit fifth in the Bundesliga, can offer Rashford a competitive challenge, including a title push and also Champions League football.
Naturally, the conditions must be good for RBL. But if Rashford can be convinced by Milan, there cannot be much difference to what Leipzig would want to bring to the table. It would basically be like-for-like. Okafor, like Rashford, can play anywhere in the front three, including as a centre-forward. Both fast. Both versatile. And both need trust restored. If ever there was a deal to be made, this is it.
We are now well into the second month since Rashford was last on the pitch in a United shirt. That was on December 12 and since then the England international has managed to strengthen Amorim's matchday squad for once. And in the 3-1 win against Southampton at Old Trafford on Thursday, Rashford once again stayed in the stands. As we said, it's clear that Rashford has no place in his manager's plans. He is effectively written out of the club.
“I don't know,” Amorim replied last week when asked if Rashford had played his last game for United. “We'll see. He's a Manchester United player. We'll see. He has to work.”
“He has to represent his club and he loves his club, but I have to make choices. I have already spoken about how I make the choices. It is what it is. Let's continue, let's look at the next match and like me said, I have to do it.” make a choice.”
It wasn't exactly a full-throated denial by the Portuguese, was it? In word and deed, it seems that Amorim has put a line through Rashford's name.
Is it personal? Maybe. Something certainly seems to be broken between Rashford and management. Despite all the rotation and recycling of players since his arrival, Amorim has not let anyone down like he has United's number 10. Something definitely seems wrong…
But for now. For Maynard. The regret. The whys. The how. They have to wait. The agent must find another club for his brother. A competitive club. And one with a track record of rebuilding players' self-confidence.
For this column, RB Leipzig and Marcus Rashford seem to be the right match. Especially considering what RBL did for Timo Werner after his troubles at Chelsea before his return to Germany. Again, like Okafor, a similar type to Rashford. And – at the time – in a similar situation. This step just makes sense.
It's not the Rossonero. It won't be the San Siro. But RB Leipzig offer everything the United forward needs at this stage of Marcus Rashford's career. You really hope Brother Dwaine spends his Sunday organizing that plane to Germany.
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