In his slightly philosophical social media post, Marcus Rashford hit the nail on the head. After spending quality time with his family and friends, Rashford says he will ‘come back a better version' of himself.And if there is to be a reconciliation with his employers, Rashford needs to be a better version of himself. That means - when he returns to training with Manchester United - being scrupulously professional at all times.That means matching the work rate of every other player in a reinvigorated United squad. That means selflessness on and off the field.That also means working assiduously on aspects of his game that still, at the age of 28, need improving. With Michael Carrick having done so well and now in long-term charge, this feels like the start of a new United era.‌And there is no reason why Rashford cannot be a part of it, if he wants to be. New rules agreed between FIFA and FIFPRO, the global players’ union, mean that clubs can no longer have so-called ‘bomb squads’.If Rashford stays at United - and his contract runs for another two years - he has to be part of the first-team squad. And what Rashford then has to do is prove he is worth his place in the team. Rashford has a lot to prove, as he himself hinted in that social media post.The cold, hard fact is that Barcelona did not think it was worth paying £26million for his full-time services. The cold, hard fact is that successive England managers have not fully trusted Rashford.He had a distinctly mixed World Cup - one that was in keeping with his entire England career. Of his 78 caps, 38 have come from the bench.‌Right now, does Rashford get in Carrick’s first-choice starting XI when everyone is fit? You suspect a lot of United supporters would say no.Is he, for example, a better option than Bryan Mbeumo? Probably not. But he could be - if his focus was complete, if his work rate was stepped up.Rashford’s numbers in his loan season at Barcelona looked decent enough. In all competitions, 14 goals and 14 assists. But there must have been something that did not fully convince coach Hansi Flick of his worth.‌There must have been something that convinced the Barcelona hierarchy they would be better off spending £70million on Anthony Gordon, who also ended the World Cup as Thomas Tuchel’s preferred option. There was also a clause in Rashford’s contract that allowed other clubs - Manchester City and Liverpool excepted - to buy him for £40million, which expired earlier this month.As expected, no-one triggered that clause. Those scenarios should provoke Rashford into a reaction.Right now, it is clear the executives at United - headed by director of football Jason Wilcox - would like Rashford’s £325,000-a-week off the books. But they cannot force him out.‌And the bottom line is that any interested club will point to the option price Barcelona had and refuse to pay considerably more than that. For want of a better phrase, United could be stuck with Rashford.But all the interested parties can make that work. Wilcox, Carrick and, most importantly, Rashford himself. If he is true to his promise and comes back from his holiday as a better version of himself, there is no reason he cannot play a key role in United’s new era.Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.