Maguire Welcomes Rashford Back
Harry Maguire has publicly backed Marcus Rashford's potential return to Manchester United, signaling that the dressing room is open to reintegrating the forward after an 18-month exile. Rashford, 28, spent time on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona, where he helped the Catalan giants win La Liga with 14 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.
Barcelona Opt Against Permanent Deal
Despite Rashford's impressive form in Spain, Barcelona chose not to make the move permanent, instead spending £70 million on Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon. This leaves Rashford's future uncertain as he is set to report back to Old Trafford after England's World Cup campaign. He still has two years left on his reported £325,000 per week contract.
Maguire's Public Support
Asked if he and the squad would welcome Rashford back, Maguire told The Rest Is Football: "Yeah, of course, I have an amazing relationship with Marcus and have had some great times with him over the years. I know what a wonderful player he can be. I’m sure it’s up to the club and up to Marcus to find a mutual agreement. Of course, if Marcus does come back, we want him to come back and play and be happy and confident. It needs to be right for himself, it needs to be right for the club, but everyone knows what a great player Marcus can be for whatever club he plays for next season."
Contrast with Paul Scholes' Criticism
Maguire's stance contrasts sharply with club legend Paul Scholes, who previously urged United to "banish" Rashford after his controversial remarks. Scholes told The Overlap Fan Debate: "I think Marcus has let a lot of people down really, with his attitude... In the way he’s behaving and the way he’s training, in a way he is saying I don’t want to be involved with these. So I think the fact of letting your team-mates down in that dressing room – he should be banished from the dressing room really."
Past Tensions with Squad
Rashford's relationship with United deteriorated under former boss Ruben Amorim after the forward publicly admitted he was "ready for a new challenge." The comments reportedly angered several players, particularly as they came days after a derby victory over Manchester City in December 2024. A source told The Sun: "Some of the players are really annoyed at what Marcus said and why he chose to say it at the time. They were all buzzing after beating City and then he basically put in a transfer request after being dropped for one game."
New Manager Michael Carrick
Rashford's potential return would be under new permanent head coach Michael Carrick, who replaced Amorim. Maguire believes the academy graduate deserves a fresh start, and the club is expected to hold talks to determine a mutual path forward.
