Manchester United co-owner doesn't want to see his academy graduate in the jersey of direct rivals, while Youri Tielemans has arrived at Old Trafford, revealing the background of the transfer and commenting on Marcus Rashford's return.
The situation surrounding Marcus Rashford at Old Trafford is becoming increasingly complex. Club co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made a firm decision that the 28-year-old striker must not strengthen any direct Premier League rival, effectively blocking his transfer to as many as six clubs.
Rashford has returned to the Carrington training center for pre-season preparations after a loan spell at Barcelona, where he scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists in 49 appearances last season. Despite his good form, the Catalan giants did not activate the buy option worth £26 million (€30 million), instead investing £69 million (€80 million) to bring in Anthony Gordon from Newcastle.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised the Englishman but also confirmed that there is no chance of a return. "You don't know what happens with players who are on loan - our situation is not easy for that. But I appreciate working with him. He is a fantastic player and a fantastic person. I think the team will miss him too, I will miss him, but that's life, we have to accept it," Flick told Goal.com.
According to Goal.com, Ratcliffe has vetoed any transfer to Arsenal, Manchester City, or Liverpool. Likewise, loan inquiries from Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Tottenham Hotspur have been rejected. The fear within United's management is clear: Rashford could be a key player in the race for Champions League qualification, a scenario they consider "embarrassing" for the club.
Rashford's contract runs until 2028, giving him the option to stay for another 24 months and then leave on a free transfer. After the friendly against Leeds United in Dublin and the upcoming clash with AC Milan in Poland, the striker plans a key conversation with coach Michael Carrick about his future.
While the Rashford saga continues, Manchester United have quietly strengthened their midfield. Youri Tielemans arrived from Aston Villa for £35 million, the amount of his release clause, and signed a five-year contract. In his first interview since joining, for Sky Sports, the Belgian admitted he didn't expect the transfer but also revealed that this wasn't the first time the club had shown interest. "There were two times I spoke with the club, but nothing materialized, so I was very calm about it," Tielemans said.
"I didn't expect much [a summer transfer], to be honest. I was focused on my football, focused on the World Cup, trying to give my best for my country. Then every summer, something can happen," he added. He is also aware of the magnitude of his new club: "There are still clubs above Aston Villa, and Manchester United is one of them."
The midfielder, with eight years of Premier League experience, is particularly happy to reunite with Jonny Evans. The former defender is now part of Carrick's coaching staff, and the two spent four and a half years together at Leicester. "Jonny was always a key figure. He always tried to educate young players and welcomed me at Leicester, and now here too. It's a bit strange to see him as a member of the coaching staff, honestly, but it's going great and he knows me," Tielemans commented.
He also reflected on the six months he spent with Rashford at Aston Villa during the 2024/25 season: "He was great. There was so much talk about him and media pressure around him, but I thought he was just so good. He was very humble, hardworking, and from the first training session you could notice his touch, his acceleration was incredible. That was exactly what we needed at that time at Villa, so he did many good things and I hope he can bring them here too."
Tielemans captained Belgium at the World Cup this summer, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Spain. He himself could not play in that match due to an injury sustained during the warm-up. "It was just an overload from too many matches, too many minutes, and unfortunately my body couldn't take it anymore. We played 120 minutes against Senegal, and since then we had less time between matches," he explained.
Before the quarter-final, Tielemans shone in the round of 16 against Senegal, scoring two goals in a dramatic Belgian victory. That match went to extra time after 120 minutes of play, further exhausting the players ahead of the next round. In the next round, Belgium beat the USA 4-1 in a match marked by controversy over the overturned red card for Folarin Balogun. "We were originally surprised by the decision to overturn the red card and his suspension. For us, nothing really changed except the preparation for the match because he is a different type of player than the one who was supposed to play," Tielemans said.
