Liverpool are in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer following the departure of Mohamed Salah, and Marcus Rashford has emerged as a theoretical option. However, despite calls from a former Reds goalkeeper to pursue the Manchester United forward, a combination of a specific contract clause and over six decades of transfer silence between the two fierce rivals makes any move practically impossible.Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has urged his old club to set aside historic rivalries and sign the 28-year-old England international. Speaking to BetVictor, James highlighted Rashford’s quality and potential impact at Anfield.“If I were Liverpool, I’d look to sign Marcus Rashford. I really would,” James said. “Whether he plays on the left or the right isn’t the main issue. Get him in first, and then you give it time to work out his best position.”James, 55, praised the forward’s football intelligence and ability, noting his strong performances during a loan spell at Barcelona last season.“I think he’s an outstanding footballer. His football intelligence is off the scale, and so is his ability,” he added. “We saw at Barcelona that when you get Marcus Rashford in a happy place, he’s capable of playing incredible football. I can’t imagine Liverpool will actually sign him, but football rivalries shouldn’t stop clubs from pursuing the best players.”Rashford spent the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Barcelona, where he contributed eight La Liga goals as the Catalan club lifted the title. However, Barcelona declined to activate the £26 million buy-option, which expired on June 15, leaving his future at Manchester United uncertain. United are reportedly keen to offload the academy graduate, while Rashford himself remains interested in a return to Spain.Barriers Make the Move UnlikelyDespite James’ endorsement, two significant obstacles stand in the way. The first is a protective clause in Rashford’s Manchester United contract. It stipulates that the club will listen to offers from any team triggering a £40 million bid — with the explicit exception of Liverpool and Manchester City.The second barrier is even more longstanding. There has been no direct transfer between Manchester United and Liverpool for more than 60 years. The last player to make the switch was Phil Chisnall, who moved from Old Trafford to Anfield in April 1964 for £25,000 in a deal agreed between legendary managers Sir Matt Busby and Bill Shankly.This unwritten understanding between the two clubs has effectively created a transfer firewall that has endured through generations of intense rivalry.Context and RealismLiverpool’s need for a winger is clear after Salah’s exit, and Rashford — when motivated and in form — remains a dynamic, high-potential attacker capable of operating on either flank. Yet the practical realities outlined above suggest that James’ suggestion, while intriguing, is destined to remain hypothetical.United must now decide how to handle Rashford’s future, with options likely including a permanent sale to another club or another loan arrangement. For Liverpool fans and the club’s hierarchy, the idea may spark debate, but history, contractual restrictions, and club policy point firmly in one direction: this particular transfer is dead on arrival.As the summer window progresses, both clubs will focus on their respective recruitment strategies without crossing the longstanding divide that has defined English football for decades.
