A year ago and Rashford was flying. Top of the world. A career-best season. The confidence of his manager. The support of the public. United's No10 could do no wrong. But today? Today he finds himself considering his options. But even more significantly, he finds the club doing the same.
£40m for Josh Zirkzee. £60m for Leny Yoro. £35m for Manuel Ugarte at PSG. And a potential £35m due Bayern Munich for Matthijs de Ligt. Throw in the need for a top-class left-back and the outlay is piling up. United are officially on a spending spree. And to be fair, it's been impressive. But something - or someone - is going to have to give. Those ridiculous laws from the Premier League's beancounters will demand a major sale. The Profit & Sustainability rules dictate United will have to balance the ledger - and with such a huge spend, a major sacrifice is pending.
So they'll have been looking. Messers Jason Wilcox, Dan Ashworth and Christopher Vivell - United's new transfers team. They will have been consulting with Erik ten Hag about which frontliner he can afford to do without.
And for Rashford, it must be said, the writing is on the wall. Victor Lindelöf. Casemiro. Harry Maguire. They've all been mentioned as potential departures. But none would warrant the price needed to balance the books. The future of Bruno Fernandes has also been raised. But even as he waits for new contract talks to commence, there's little chance of Ten Hag approving the sale of his captain.
Instead, as we say, everything is pointing to Rashford. And the evidence continues to stack up. The arrival of Zirkzee does suggest the prospect of the Dutchman playing alongside Rasmus Hojlund in a front pairing with the potential of Bruno Fernandes tucked in behind them. In such a front three, it's difficult to find room for Rashford.
And then there's the idea of Ten Hag going with wingers. Alejandro Garnacho, of course, is nailed on. But if Rashford thought he could work his way into such a system on the other flank, Ten Hag's comments and actions this past week suggests otherwise.
Saturday's win at Rangers was highlighted by the performance of Amad Diallo. A goal and a five-star display from the youngster against one of his former loan clubs winning praise from his manager. But not only that, Ten Hag making it clear that Amad is a required player this new season.
"We have to see Amad in a different way," declared Ten Hag from Murrayfield.
"Of course, he’s still young but he is not inexperienced any more. Last season he had bad times with bad injuries. Before that he was in the Championship and he had a great season. At the end of last season, he had a very good time in our first team and played some good games. Now for this season, this has to be the year.
"It’s great that he starts like this. On Monday he couldn’t play, he was not allowed to go into Norway, but today he could play and he played a very good game."
And then there was the even bigger news before kickoff. Ten Hag not only recalling Jadon Sancho after peace talks, but - like with Amad - sending a clear public message to the England winger that he can have a future at Old Trafford.
"We spoke well," Ten Hag told AD from his native Holland in midweek. "Anyone can make a mistake. If the player reflects well on that, then draw a line and continue again.
"This club needs good players, and one thing is for sure: Jadon Sancho is a terribly good player.
"I hope the click will come after all, and that it will contribute to our success."
So Garnacho, Amad and now Sancho? Plus Zirkzee up top? Just where does Rashford fit? The short answer is, he doesn't. At least, temporarily. Of course, just as he's discovered this past year, football can quickly change. Form. Injury. Decision-...erm, making. This time, for Rashford, things could change for the better. But are United in the position to grant him that opportunity?
This isn't an exercise in player-bashing. Yeah, this column has had our issues with Rashford, particularly after his Belfast bender. But there's no raking over old coals. Things are simply falling into place for Rashford to be sacrificed.
If they need a major sale. If they need to raise £70-80m to get the Premier League's lawyers off their backs. It's difficult to identify any other solution than Rashford's sale. Across the front three. On the flanks. United do appear well-stocked. And unfortunately, nothing from Rashford these past 12 months would demand special treatment. From being the club's golden boy, Rashford is now just one of many. A realistic, saleable asset.
A year ago, such talk would've been ridiculous. But this game, it moves fast. And it has clearly caught up with Manchester United's No10.