Manchester United's leadership has stripped Rashford of the number 10 shirt and given it to Matheus Cunha, effectively closing the door on his return to Old Trafford.
Rashford still has two years remaining on his contract with the Old Trafford club, earning a salary of £325,000 per week.
For the past year and a half, the English striker has been loaned out to Aston Villa and then Barcelona.
Ruben Amorim ruthlessly dropped Rashford. The number 10 shirt was then officially given to Matheus Cunha, the striker who arrived from Wolves last summer.
Recently, Cunha has often played as a left-sided attacking midfielder in Michael Carrick's 4-2-3-1 formation and has been performing increasingly effectively.
Three of Cunha's five goals under Carrick have been decisive strikes. To date, the 26-year-old striker has scored against Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Liverpool, all top-six Premier League teams.
Cunha also won the hearts of many Red Devils fans with his fiery playing style and inspiring surfing celebration. This contrasts sharply with Rashford, who was booed in his final game for MU against Viktoria Plzen.
In their 2026 summer transfer plans, Manchester United want to recruit another left winger, after letting Garnacho and Sancho leave Old Trafford. The club's management does not see Rashford as a suitable option to fill that void.
Manchester United's Director of Football, Jason Wilcox, is enjoying high approval ratings. He and his colleague Christopher Vivell (Director of Recruitment) will do everything possible to sell Marcus Rashford this summer, generating a fee and reducing the wage bill.
Barcelona are still hesitant to spend £26 million to sign Rashford to a long-term contract. If the two sides cannot agree on the fee, the English striker's future will become uncertain.