Marcus Rashford closed out his World Cup campaign with a reflective note on social media, posted in the hours after England's remarkable 6-4 third-place play-off victory over France in Miami. In it, he urged supporters to keep believing — and promised to return a better version of himself after resting and spending time with family.

That word — reflect — carries considerable weight right now. At 28, Rashford is approaching what should be the most productive years of his career. He claimed his first league title — La Liga with Barcelona — featured in six of England's eight World Cup matches, and now has 77 caps to his name, contributing to the country's finest World Cup showing since 1966.

The contract question

Yet the question looming largest over his immediate future is whether he will remain at Manchester United. He is contracted to the club until 2028 and earns £325,000 a week, making him their top earner at a time when minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is working to bring wage expenditure under control.

Barcelona held an option to make Rashford's loan permanent for £26 million, but that deadline passed in mid-June without being triggered. A separate clause — allowing clubs other than Liverpool and Manchester City to buy him for £40 million — expired earlier in July, also without a buyer emerging. Those close to Rashford saw little logic in any club paying more than Barcelona's discounted option.

Return to Manchester United

With England's campaign concluded, Rashford is entitled to three weeks off. Unless circumstances change, he is set to report back to Manchester United as the squad begins a training camp in the Republic of Ireland ahead of a historic fixture against Leeds at Croke Park on 12 August.

Reports suggest Rashford is relaxed about returning. A major reason for that is the change in management. Rubén Amorim — who fell out with Rashford within weeks of arriving from Sporting Lisbon, eventually exiling him before placing him in a so-called