Manchester United will be banned from repeating the same tactic they used on Marcus Rashford for other players in the near future. Rashford secured a season-long loan to Barcelona a year ago, but only after he was ostracised from the first team by Ruben Amorim and forced to spend time in the ‘bomb squad’.
The term was popularised at Chelsea andAmorim decided that Rashford’s attitude would not be tolerated with the senior group. He, along with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia, were all kept away from training. The then-head coach instructed them all to find new clubs before the transfer deadline shut. “I think again, I know that is not a good thing to have players in this situation,” Amorim said at the time.
“But it’s clear they want to play in a different club and that is clear… so we try to arrange everything for both parts to be happy, so I have to try to imagine to have the training with the guys that I think are going to be the future and the other guys are training and preparing for the next chapter.”
All except Malacia managed to secure moves away, though Rashford’s return from his loan spell and Malacia’s summer release means the English forward is the sole remaining bomb squad member still at Old Trafford. Before long, however, the practice will be formally prohibited.
Under the terms of new FIFA rules, players will be able to demand a free transfer if a club “separate[s] a player in an abusive manner from training with the team.”
This means clubs would risk losing the chance of recouping a fee even if a player has years left on their contract.
“Players will be better protected from abusive practices,” a statement from players’ union FIFPRO read. “Demoting players, forcing them to train in isolation as a form of pressure, withholding passports or abusing registration procedures are now expressly prohibited. These practices have affected too many players for too long and have no place in modern football.”
The new agreement doesn’t take effect until January 1, 2027. Nevertheless, it represents a significant shift and clubs may choose to adapt their approach by abandoning the practice of ostracising players well before the deadline.
United weren’t alone in employing the tactic last season. Chelsea handled numerous players in a comparable fashion, with England internationals Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling most prominent amongst them.
Several of those players have subsequently departed Stamford Bridge, with the likes of Armando Broja and Carney Chukwuemeka fetching respectable fees. Yet the Blues will now need to identify a resolution regarding Axel Disasi and David Datro Fofana after the duo only secured loan moves.