England manager Thomas Tuchel has praised Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, who continued to shine during his loan spell at Barcelona. The 27-year-old forward was loaned to the Spanish giants on a season-long contract in July after falling out of favor with Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim.
Barcelona have an option to sign Rashford on a permanent deal in 2026 for £30m. Rashford has attracted attention for his exceptional performances since his international break in September, leading to speculation that Barca are interested in signing the England international on a permanent deal, albeit for a slightly reduced fee of around £26 million.
Rashford’s existing contract at Old Trafford runs for a further three years. He signed in July 2023 after a brilliant season with United, in which he found the back of the net 30 times.
Tuchel then reminded United of the quality of players they have released, while also expressing his opinion on the pinnacles Rashford could still reach in his career. “The quality we see in training, the finishing with both feet and the head, allows him to be one of the best in the world,” Tuchel said.
“He’s explosive, he’s fast, he’s strong in the air. So where are the limits? There are no limits, but the numbers aren’t up to their potential. He needs to push himself to do the goal-related things: goals and assists. It’s as simple as that.”
Tuchel added: “(Consistency) is the headline for him, to keep pushing himself to the limit. I think his limits are very high, probably higher than others. He has potential, but potential is a dangerous word in high-level sport.”
“You need to achieve personal bests regularly, that’s what you want at this kind of level and that’s the challenge for him.
“It’s not a question of talent, but whether he can prove himself at club level and at international level. That’s his challenge. Whether he starts for us or comes off the bench, he always has to prove himself.”
Asked if Rashford’s career was still on the right track, Tuchel added: “He still has to make a decision. He’s still in the moment and he’s still young enough to make the right decision and let it go, because if he doesn’t he’ll be disappointed in what could have been in 10 years and what he did from there.”
