When Manchester United faced Manchester City last week, many were expecting their talisman Marcus Rashford, who has a great record in the derby, to make a mark at any point. Instead, Rashford warmed the bench, and saw his team winning the clash without his involvement. The English striker has become a major bone of contention, with his form and confidence at an all-time low. 

The 28-year-old was disheartened by his exclusion from the Manchester derby and made the point in the media that he's ready for the next challenge. "For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps," said Rashford to journalist Henry Winter. "When I leave it's going to be 'no hard feelings." 

Rashford is among Manchester United's highest earners, taking home a weekly wage of $400,000 since his contract renewal last year. However, his performance has left much to be desired. He has scored only nine goals since the start of 2023/24. The season-long consistency one expects from a player of his stature has always been absent. Amorim has clearly implied in his press conference that merit would be the sole criteria for playing XI, not past achievements. 

With Rashford's contract expiring in 2028, Manchester United are in real trouble, knowing that they can't afford his weekly wage with such little on-field contribution from the player. Offloading won't be easy either, as clubs are not going to match his weekly wage bill. 

5 Clubs Marcus Rashford Can Join After Manchester United; Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG And More

Paris Saint-Germain 

Before Marcus Rashford renewed his contract at the end of 2023, PSG showed great interest in acquiring him, with the club's president Nasser Al-Khelaifi publicly expressing his admiration for the English striker. PSG still need a striker, and they can easily afford the high wage of Rashford. 

Arsenal 

Arsenal made great strides under Mikel Arteta, emerging into a real contender for the Premier League title in the last two seasons, but they seemed to have hit a roadblock. There's a lack of fluency in the team, and the lack of prolific options on the left wing has become an issue. Gabriel Martinelli has struggled to impose himself. The arrival of Rashford will not only add variety to Arsenal's firepower but also provide some extra spark to Martinelli. 

Barcelona 

Barcelona's financial difficulties had prevented them from adding Marcus Rashford a few years ago. Despite some improvement under Joan Laporta, the club may revisit their interest in the Manchester United star under better conditions. With Robert Lewandowski, aged 36, close to the end of his career, Barcelona are now looking for a potential successor to take over the striker position in the future. 

Bayern Munich 

Historically, English strikers have often shown great reluctance to join the Bundesliga. But things have changed a bit since Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich. The German club had shown interest in signing Rashford in the past. After having missed out on the title last season, they would like to bolster their squad by adding an alternate option to Harry Kane. 

Al-Ittihad 

Marcus Rashford is too young and too good to be going to the Saudi Pro League at the age of 27. However, if he's already looking to maximise his earnings and forego the opportunity with England's national team, the Saudi Pro League's Al-Ittihad would be the best option.