The England striker has become United's top earner after enjoying the best season of his life just one year after his future was in doubt

Marcus Rashford has just signed a five-year contract with Manchester United which makes him the club's highest paid player. And after the season he has just had, no one could begrudge him that status. The striker has staged an unbelievable individual comeback compared to where he was just a year ago, when his future at the club where he had spent his entire career was in serious doubt.

Rashford had fallen out of favour with interim manager Ralf Rangnick and had spent most of the season on the bench. He finished a dismal campaign for both him and his club with a measly five goals in all competitions.

What a difference a year makes. Rashford enjoyed the best season of his seven-year career in 2022-23, scoring 30 goals in all competitions. He fired United to a third-place finish in the Premier League, securing a swift return to the Champions League, and led them to win the Carabao Cup, while also reaching the FA Cup final and the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

And so as United celebrate agreeing a long-term contract with their favourite son, GOAL takes a look at the key moments that convinced the club to give Rashford the new deal and make him their best-paid player…

GettyPutting in the work last summer

Rashford began his road to recovery in the summer of 2022. He had just endured a nightmarish 12 months which included missing his spot-kick in England's penalty-shootout defeat to Italy in the European Championship final and the shameful racist abuse that followed. He had also undergone back surgery and then struggled to reclaim a regular place in the United line up while being repeatedly left out of the England squad.

While many of his team-mates were enjoying their summer breaks last year, he headed to Nike's headquarters in Oregon for an intense training plan, working with a team of fitness coaches and sports scientists. He worked on his explosiveness, practising sprints on an elevated 200-metre track and running with bungee cords strapped to his back. The hard work he put in before the season paid off handsomely.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRegaining confidence against Liverpool

Rashford had not scored a goal for club or country for seven months in August, but in the third game of the season against Liverpool, he showcased his new physical prowess and renewed confidence. The striker scored the all-important second goal in the 2-1 win, sprinting in behind Joe Gomez to latch on to an Anthony Martial pass and taking one touch before burying the ball into the net.

It was far from the best goal Rashford has scored, but it was a sign he was back and meant business. The strike also clinched a badly-needed victory for United over the old enemy after they had made a disastrous start to the campaign with twin losses to Brighton and Brentford.

GettyThe towering header against West Ham

There was no doubt about Rashford's ability to run in behind defences, but in a tricky fixture against West Ham at the end of October, he showed he had all the attributes of a traditional striker too. He neted a towering header to score the only goal of the game, flying off the floor to beat Thilo Kehrer in the air and send Christian Eriksen's floated cross crashing high into the net.

With United lacking a proper centre-forward for much of the season, Rashford's ability to get in the box and score headers proved valuable as they eventually finished third in the Premier League.

Getty The slalom run against Burnley

In the first game back after the World Cup, Rashford did his best Diego Maradona impression and scored one of his finest ever goals. He picked up the ball deep in his own half and accelerated down the right wing, never looking back.

His speed scared the lights out of the Burnley defenders and as he approached the area he danced past two of them before arrowing the ball into the far corner. The goal had shades of Ryan Giggs' solo goal against Arsenal in 1999 and demonstrated that Rashford had all the capabilities to be one of the best players in the world.

It was also the beginning of an incredible streak of form for Rashford, who scored eight goals in a run of seven matches between December and January.