Manchester United's £200m trio cannot afford to waste unforeseen pre-season chance

Looking back 12 months and Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford and Antony wouldn't have expected to be spending the summer of 2024 on the beach rather than at a major tournament.

All three were representing their country back then. Mount had had a tricky final season at Chelsea but was a favourite of Gareth Southgate and was close to a £55m move to Manchester United. Rashford was coming off the back of a 30-goal season for United and had a productive World Cup and, while Antony had struggled in his first season at Old Trafford, he had shown flashes of quality and remained a part of the Brazil setup.

None of them saw what was about to happen and for reasons of form rather than fitness, all three are missing the European Championship and Copa America this summer. They will be in the first tranche of players to return to Carrington in the early days of July.

ALSO READ: United coaching change could test relationship between Ten Hag and Ineos

ALSO READ: Glazers got contracts wrong at United but Ineos are changing that already

The reasons for their slump and international exiles are all subtly different. Mount had an injury-disrupted first season at United but when he did play he struggled to settle in a central midfield role. He ended the campaign as a substitute and hasn't played for England since the 2022 World Cup, despite obvious issues in the current Three Lions midfield.

Rashford was in the England squad as recently as March but has followed up the season of his life with one of his worst, scoring just eight times in 43 games for his club and infuriating Erik ten Hag with his off-field behaviour. It was still something of a surprise when he didn't make the 33-man long list for Euro 2024 but he could have few quibbles on form, even if there is a sense that England might be missing his pace now.

As for Antony, he was in the Brazil squad in September before being withdrawn as domestic abuse allegations made headlines in his homeland. The 24-year-old hasn't played for his country since then and wasn't included in their Copa America squad, but he has returned to action for United despite the police investigations that have hung over his head.

Ten Hag put Antony's disappointing performances this season down to those distractions. But by the end of the season, it felt like even he was beginning to lose patience. Having signed him from Ajax for £85m, Ten Hag needs Antony to be a success at United, but he has looked a long way from that.

Three goals and two assists from 38 appearances was a woefully poor return, especially as one of each arrived in the FA Cup fourth-round win at League Two Newport County. That kind of form is unlikely to get an attacker in the Brazil squad.

United spent £140m on Antony and Mount and on his day Rashford is a £60m+ player, but Ten Hag needs all of them to offer more. Antony and Rashford could theoretically be sold this summer but neither has put themself in the shop window and they haven't got the bonus of an international tournament to catch the eye either. It would be a seismic shock if all three of them weren't still at the club once the transfer window shuts.

Rashford started the FA Cup final but was the first forward to be withdrawn, while Mount came on in the 89th minute and Anthony never even left the bench. They aren't surviving at Old Trafford on performances, that's for sure.

But they should see their summer snubs as a positive, allowing for a proper rest of six weeks and an early return to Carrington while some of their teammates continue to do battle in Germany and the United States. They will be among the biggest names to travel to Norway to face Rosenborg on Monday, July 15 and will also be available to face Rangers at Murrayfield six days later.

On paper, these are three of the biggest names in United's squad, talents worth at least £200m, but a season none of them will remember fondly has cost them an international summer. Now, they must put that spare time to good use and return ready to make the impact expected of them.