Man Utd may have to welcome Marcus Rashford back to the club in the summer after a ‘big issue’ continues to cause problems, according to reports.

The Red Devils allowed Rashford to leave on loan to Aston Villa at the end of the January transfer window after his relationship with Ruben Amorim broke down.

Man Utd boss Amorim played Rashford for the last time on December 12 against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League being leaving him out of every match until his eventual departure.

Since joining Aston Villa, Rashford has been in brilliant form and has no doubt convinced the Villans to sign him in the summer if they can justify the outlay.

But Unai Emery admitted after Rashford produced a brilliant performance in a recent Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain that it will be “difficult” for Aston Villa to sign him.

Emery said: “It (signing him in the summer) is difficult to plan now. He’s feeling comfortable and better. He played a fantastic match.

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“If he’s happy, we are happy. Then, of course, it depends on the circumstances and what happens in the next weeks, and (what we have) in the next year as well.”

And now TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey claims that the Man Utd forward’s wages could continue to cause problems in the summer as he seeks a permanent transfer away from Old Trafford.

Bailey wrote on X: ‘As it stands Ruben Amorim does not want Marcus Rashford back at Manchester United. But with his wages still a massive issue for Aston Villa or any interested club, he could very well end up back at Old Trafford.’

In the article with TBR Football, Bailey added that ‘Rashford and United are waiting to see how things play out’ with ‘all parties are very much aware it is a subject that will be back on their agenda in their near future.’

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The report continues:

‘Rashford, for his part, is keeping his options open, with his camp looking already towards some big clubs.

‘TBR Football sources say Villa would be open to taking him on permanently, but his wages remain a huge issue.

‘Amorim was insistent in January he didn’t want him back – could that change? Man United sources don’t believe that is likely at all.’

Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit insists Rashford should now leave Man Utd permanently after showcasing his ability at Aston Villa.

Petit said: “Rashford is having a good time at Aston Villa. Step by step, he has to return to his best level. And for the last two, three years, I think he disappeared from the radar, so the most important thing for him is to get back to his best level by paying regular football.

“He made the move in January and was back in the England squad. It looks like he made the right decision for his own career in terms of leaving United. Should he go back to Manchester United in the summer? I don’t think so.

“Rashford needs to concentrate on getting his fitness and his game back. That’s his number one priority between now and the summer. He shouldn’t be thinking about where he will be playing next season, he should be thinking, ‘I’ve been given a chance to rehabilitate myself, playing under a top manager at a top club, playing Champions League football,’ I need to use this opportunity to get my passion back and show the world I’m a top player.

“At Manchester United, he disappeared for a couple of years. The most important thing for him is to come back to the right level. And then after that, maybe he can think about something else, but put those thoughts on ice right now.”

Man Utd are hoping to include a Real Betis player in any deal they strike for Antony in the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Red Devils allowed Antony to leave Old Trafford in the January transfer window after making no Premier League starts under Erik ten Hag or Ruben Amorim this season.

Antony has struggled to make an impact in his two and a half seasons at Man Utd and the last few months on loan at Betis have seen him reinvigorated.

The Brazil international has five goals and two assists in 17 matches in all competitions with the Man Utd loanee contributing towards Real Betis’ push towards potential Champions League qualification.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side are now just one point off the Champions League places in La Liga and Antony has played a key role in their positive end to the season.

Real Betis are keen on bringing him back to the Estadio Benito Villamarin in the summer on a permanent transfer after turning around Antony’s career.

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The Spanish side’s sporting director Manu Fajardo said recently: “Here, we work on devalued players, analysing data from players who have reached very high moments and peaks, but who for various reasons have significantly decreased their performances.

“In Antony’s case, he has performed since minute one at Betis.

“The player quickly integrated into the project and has demonstrated spectacular performances since his arrival.”

Real Betis star Isco added: “We hope that Antony will remain at the club, but in football, nothing can be taken for granted. We need to do crowdfunding to bring Antony in!”

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And now reports in Spain claim that Man Utd have ‘asked’ for one of Antony’s team-mates at Betis in order to do a permanent deal with the Spanish side.

Man Utd ‘proposes a swap deal’ that could see the need for Real Betis to fork out a huge fee with the Red Devils keen on bringing Jesus Rodriguez to Old Trafford.

The report adds:

‘It’s only logical that they’re already doing everything possible to retain him, as he’s due to return to Manchester United in June, a club that still retains his federation rights. The problem is that it’s a truly complicated and expensive transaction.

‘Because we mustn’t forget that the Red Devils paid €95 million for the Brazilian international, which they aren’t willing to give away. They’re demanding compensation of around €50 million to finally open the door for him to leave. This is an amount Heliópolis can’t afford, but the English club is willing to offer a significant discount if they include Jesús Rodríguez in the negotiations.

‘Old Trafford has also been pleasantly surprised by the performances of the promising 19-year-old winger, and they have the Betis star on their radar.

‘The big question Betis will have to answer is whether they’re willing to sacrifice Jesús, who many believe could be a legend like Joaquín Sánchez, in order to retain Antony. Because Pellegrini has made it very clear throughout that he hopes to continue counting on Rodríguez for much longer.’

Manchester United have identified their ‘ideal’ replacements for midfield duo Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, according to reports.

United currently sit 14th in the Premier League after a miserable campaign which has seen Ruben Amorim replace Erik ten Hag as manager but their poor performances and results continue under the Portuguese boss.

There remains hope of a trophy and possible Champions League football next season through Europa League glory as the Red Devils prepare for a semi-final against Athletic Club, with the carrot of competing in Europe’s showcase competition huge for potential new recruits and for those tasked with rebuilding the squad thanks to the money they will receive as a result.

Amorim wants to put his own stamp on the squad having struggled to implement his philosophy and system having arrived in November, and while a new striker is thought to be a priority, midfielders will also be high on the agenda amid doubts over the futures of Eriksen and Casemiro.

Eriksen’s contract expires in the summer and the Denmark international admitted last month that he’s “prepared to find something new”.

“I haven’t thought about it that much,” Eriksen said when asked about his future. It’s the same principle as last time, the contract expires in the summer, so in my head, I’m prepared to find something new. I’m actually fine with that, whatever it is, it’s not something I’ve decided yet.”

Casemiro meanwhile has another year left on his deal come the end of the season but United hope to be fielding offers in order to get his £350,000 per week salary off their wage bill.

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And Spanish outlet Fichajes claim United have ‘launched an ambitious reconstruction’ by identifying Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes as the ‘ideal replacements’.

The report states:

‘The Old Trafford team sees in Wharton, of the Crystal Palace, an emerging jewel of English football. His growth has been meteoric this season, and his ability to recover balls and link lines makes him a very attractive piece for any team with European aspirations. However, his signing will not be easy, since several top-level clubs have already asked about him, raising his market value.

‘For his part, Bruno Guimarães has been one of the pillars of Newcastle since his arrival, and although his continuity seems assured by the ‘Magpies’, United has not ruled out moving if the opportunity opens up. His presence would provide quality and immediate leadership.’

United’s ‘roadmap is drawn’ as they look to ‘renew the heart of the team’ with the Premier League pair, though the report adds that ‘the difficulty lies in the cost and competition’.

It’s thought Palace want £70m for Wharton while Newcastle won’t listen to offers below £100m for Guimaraes, unless they fail to qualify for the Champions League, in which case his asking price could drop to just £60m.