Rashford turned down Tottenham's offer of £325,000 per week, and Manchester United cannot sell him for £25 million. His World Cup starting role drew criticism.

In the final group match of the World Cup's L group, England defeated Panama 2-0, securing first place in the group and progressing to the round of 32 knockout stage. Tuchel made five changes to the starting lineup; Manchester United's 21-year-old rising star Kobbie Mainoo again missed out, but Rashford replaced Anthony Gordon as the starting left winger. United hoped that against a weak opponent, the 28-year-old English star could shine, but it backfired — Rashford was ineffective and received one of the lowest match ratings on the team.

After the match, legend Alan Shearer specifically criticized the performances of Rashford and Saka. During the water break in the first half, Tuchel also angrily gave instructions to both players.

Shearer said: "I haven't looked at the stats, but it's clear to the eye that Rashford and Saka played a role in England's attack, yet their performances were not outstanding." Shearer added, "The first ten minutes were disappointing; we should have controlled possession smoothly, but that wasn't the case."

Manchester United legend Gary Neville added: "We lacked finesse, creativity, and innovation. Those wide players performed terribly in the final stages of the match, making it hard for us to break down Panama's defense. Tuchel had to bring on two strikers and adopt a different tactical approach." Roy Keane added: "England seemed to be dragged down to the level of their opponents; their key players failed to step up."

England manager Thomas Tuchel stated directly that Rashford performs better as a substitute. "Marcus also did well coming off the bench. Sometimes it's a good approach to let him start from the bench," Tuchel said. "If he starts, it's hard for him to have the impact of a wonderkid, but he keeps trying. Marcus also did well on the bench. Sometimes keeping a player on the bench is a good idea."

Therefore, Manchester United's hope that Rashford would boost his market value through the World Cup can only be realized in the knockout rounds. The transfer of the 28-year-old will be the club's biggest challenge in the summer window, especially since he is unwilling to move within the Premier League. According to TEAMtalk, despite Tottenham being willing to spend heavily, Rashford rejected them.

Rashford's permanent transfer clause to Barcelona for €30 million has expired. According to The Athletic, his current contract has a release clause of £40 million, which only Liverpool and Manchester City cannot activate. Tottenham would not pay such a high price, but Manchester United is willing to lower the fee. Sources say that if Tottenham is genuinely interested, the Red Devils could accept £25 million or even less.

The iPaper reports that Tottenham's offer was serious, with British media claiming they were willing to match Rashford's current wages at Manchester United, i.e., £325,000 per week. Unfortunately, Rashford was unmoved; he insists on not transferring to another Premier League club, staying at United to show his loyalty. If he leaves, he will only go to a club in a different European league.

Tottenham fans are relieved, as they do not support the club spending big money to bring in Rashford from Manchester United. They hope the funds will be used to sign other players, such as Manchester City's Savinho or Liverpool's Gakpo. Meanwhile, Manchester United supporters are disappointed, with most wanting Rashford to leave Old Trafford permanently.

Barcelona is monitoring the situation and preparing to propose another loan deal for Rashford at the end of the summer window. TEAMtalk emphasizes that Rashford still longs to return to Camp Nou and return to the Barcelona life he loves. Premier League transfer expert Fraser Fletcher said: "Rashford is still very eager to join Barcelona next season, and the player's wishes give the La Liga champions hope, believing that their long-term efforts will eventually pay off."