In an interview with Henry Winter, Rashford talks about his future, professionalism, his best position and more.
But really, the most interesting comment of them all was saying that he is ready for a new challenge. This all but confirms that he is looking to move on in his career.
Regarding whether he's staying or not, Rashford said:
“For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps. When I leave it's going to be ‘no hard feelings’. You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.
"If I know that a situation is already bad I'm not going to make it worse. I've seen how other players have left in the past and I don't want to be that person. When I leave I'll make a statement and it will be from me."
The Manchester-born player acknowledges that his current situation isn't the best but that he doesn't want to make it worse. Having seen how other players departed the club, "I don't want to be that person. When I leave I'll make a statement and it will be from me."
On his professionalism and attitude, Rashford mentions that he feels "misunderstood" and that he still loves football. He talks about how his best position is the left-wing despite having the ability to play in all three positions.
After being left out of the derby completely on Sunday he said:
"It’s disheartening to be left out of a Derby, but it’s happened, we won the game so let's move on. It’s disappointing but I’m also someone as I’ve got older I can deal with setbacks."
He added that he's "halfway through his career" and that he doesn't expect his peak to be now. There will be "no regrets" going forward and that the best it yet to come in his career.
Read the full interview here.
Final Thoughts
I've never been the biggest admirer of Rashford's although I have always liked him but there are certain players that you want to love, not just like. For me, that is Rashford.
I just felt that there was a yearning in me to want to have more of an affection for him whether that's because he's from Manchester, supported the club his whole life, came through the academy or his off-field work, but something in me always wanted to feel more than just simply liking him.
But that hasn't come to pass. In fact, even my like towards him has diminished.
With the amount of ability he has, Rashford has definitely not lived up to the expectations of what everyone had of him especially when looking at the way he started his career at the club. Guy scored on basically every debut of his: PL, FA Cup, Europa League, Champions League, Manchester derby.
A part of me feels like even Rashford himself would think that he didn't reach the heights expected from himself.
At 27-years-old, to be having the issues of inconsistency, questionable professionalism and being left out of a derby doesn't bode well for him. The money he's on makes things even worse because he should be doing a lot more than what he's been displaying for the past 18 months in particular.
I hope that the best is yet to come for him because I don't have any il-wishes towards him but a lot has to change from now till then if things are to get better at all.
He says that he is misunderstood when it comes to his professionalism and attitude. I don't know what that means but from the outside, it simply looks like he couldn't care less about anything anymore. His last three performances for United have shown this poor attitude as there was no effort and work rate from him in the games against Arsenal, Forest and Plzen.
This was something that Ruben Amorim mentioned as part of the reason as to why he left him (and Garnacho) out of the squad for the derby.
“We try to evaluate everything: training, performance, game performance, engagement with the team-mates, pushing the team-mates up”.
“Everything is on the line when we analyse, try to choose the players. So that is my selection. Simple”.
Early in his reign, Amorim also said that with Rashford, it is on him as he has to want it:
"But he [Rashford] has to be the first one to want it."
He doesn't seem to be a player who wants it. He looks like he's just going through the motions and can't be arsed half of the time.
Leaving him out the derby entirely will have been a hammer blow to his future at United. That is one of the biggest games of the season and could perhaps mean more for a local player to feature (or not) in such a match.
That was a warning sign for him and Garnacho that if you aren't willing to do as the manager wants, you won't be part of his plans.
The other issue for Rashford is that there doesn't look to be a clear position for him in Amorim's best XI. Rashy talks about how he can play across the front line but that left-wing is his best place.
We don't have standard left-wingers anymore, we have left wing-backs under the new system. While that position isn't nailed down by any one player, Rashford is probably low on that list of suitors for that spot.
One needs to work hard on and off the ball, offensively and defensively when playing out wide in a 3-4-3. Rashford is not that type of player which further reduces his chances of making it into the team.
On top of this, when watching the derby, United didn't miss him at all. It was one of the more United performances we've seen from the team. It was a collective with a lot of players who work hard and give everything to the team. Again, Rashford is not this type of player. He is very individualistic and looks to do it all on his own.
Amorim does not want that as he wants his team to be a team.
Even before Amorim, Garnacho was preferred on the left over Rashford anyway which was a problem for him then as well.
But I think this potential parting of ways is the right call for all parties. Rashford obviously isn't playing well and isn't even in the squad let alone starting XI at the moment so for him, a player who "still loves football", he will want to be playing as much as possible.
Saying that he is only halfway through his career at 27 means that he believes that there is much time left, which is a good thing. But he also won't want to be wasting more of however much time he has left in his current situation at United.
I actually think he should've left a year or two ago because he has been much too inconsistent. For the player he is, there should've been more consistency.
How much would he go for? How much would the club take?
Talk not so long ago was about a fee in the region of £40m which I think is a good price. United will get £40m and save around £60m on his wages with 4 years left on his deal. A sway of £100m will do nicely in trying to boost club finances and help in other transfers.
However, who would be willing to pay that sum and wage for a player who is inconsistent and mayhaps have an issue with attitude?
I thought that he'd be in the XI for Thursday night's trip to Spurs but after these comments, it makes me think otherwise.
Nothing is set in stone about his future but at this moment, it does appear as though Marcus Rashford and Man Utd will be no more.
Incredible but perhaps not entirely unforeseen news.
Background Image: Marcus Rashford says he is ready for a new challenge away from Man Utd | Image credit: Getty Images via Eurosport