Cunha To Take #10 Shirt From Rashford?

Manchester United have reassigned the iconic No. 10 shirt to new signing Matheus Cunha, sources have told ESPN, signalling a clear shift in Marcus Rashford’s standing at the club.

Rashford, 27, has been absent from United since December and spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa. The forward has been advised by club officials to delay his return to Carrington while he continues to pursue a move away from Old Trafford. United’s pre-season training begins Monday, but Rashford will not be part of the initial group.

He’s not the only one heading for the exit. Antony, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia have also informed the club of their desire to leave and have been granted an extended break to sort out transfers. If no deals materialise, they are expected back later in July.

Rashford was given the No. 10 shirt ahead of the 2018–19 campaign, inheriting it from Zlatan Ibrahimović. That number will now be worn by Cunha, who joins from Wolves in a deal worth £62.5 million after donning the same shirt at Molineux.

Ruben Amorim’s United squad is scheduled to depart for a three-match pre-season tour of the United States on July 22, beginning in Chicago. It remains unclear if Rashford will feature at any point.

Villa opted not to trigger their £40 million clause to make Rashford’s loan permanent. That valuation still stands for interested clubs, but United have yet to receive any formal bids.

According to ESPN, Rashford’s camp is hopeful Barcelona may renew interest now that Nico Williams has signed a long-term deal with Athletic Club. Bayern Munich, who had also been tracking Williams, remain on the lookout for wide options.

Barcelona have also expressed interest in Liverpool’s Luis Díaz, though the Anfield club have shown no willingness to negotiate.

Sources say Rashford’s preference is to move abroad and secure Champions League football. He still has three years remaining on his United contract, but the club is open to a season-long loan if a suitor agrees to take on the majority of his wages.

WRITTEN BY

Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the Founder of Futbol Chronicle and an accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every match report, player profile, and tactical analysis he writes.