Marcus Rashford is doing the right thing but it is too late for Manchester United

Marcus Rashford finds himself in a position at Manchester United that would have seemed improbable just 12 months ago.

The 27-year-old appears to be in a no man's land. His time at United seems almost up after he informed them he wished to explore options away from Old Trafford.

United responded by stripping him of his iconic No.10 shirt and extending his break to allow him to explore these new options. It is claimed that Rashford returned to Carrington on Monday and Tuesday to complete an individual training programme.

Perhaps it is a measure of the man that he wishes to keep his relationship with United positive as he seeks a move elsewhere. However, that transfer currently seems unlikely.

Barcelona have not formalised their interest in the winger and while Bayern Munich have been mooted as another possibility, it is unclear if Rashford would be willing to move to Germany. Amongst all of this, one thing has been particularly notable.

Since January, Rashford has visibly been proving his fitness and the sacrifices he makes as a professional athlete. Now the motives surrounding this content could be debated long into the night, but he is clearly doing the right things to either keep the United route open or earn himself a contract with another top club.

Should he wish for the former to be the case, he could be out of luck. United seem clear that their future is without Rashford and they are already looking ahead.

Therefore, this motivated Rashford seems destined to benefit another club. Ultimately, this summer is huge for the winger, particularly with a World Cup just around the corner.

It is obvious that Rashford wishes to be in Thomas Tuchel's squad next summer but he will only manage that if he is playing regularly.

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