Marcus Rashford has promised 'not to make a bad situation worse' by leaving Manchester United under a cloud like some of his former team-mates.
Rashford, 27, dropped a bombshell on his future on Tuesday, revealing that he's 'ready for a new challenge' away from his boyhood club, who he joined aged seven. The forward has recently been linked with a move away from United, who are ready to cash in on their star academy graduate who's stagnated over the past 18 months.
Across his nine years as part of United's first-team squad, Rashford has witnessed plenty of players leave in acrimonious circumstances. But the England international, whose lacklustre form has meant that he hasn't played for his country since the 2022 World Cup, wants to walk out with his head held high.
"If I know that a situation is already bad I'm not going to make it worse," Rashford told Henry Winter during a visit to his old primary school, Button Lane, to hand out Christmas presents. "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 27-year-old, who sits 12th on the list of United's all-time top goalscorers, also said: "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."
Rashford's comments come after being left out of the Red Devils' squad for the Manchester derby on Sunday. United ended up 2-1 winners over their bitter rivals, City, with Rashford being made to train at the club's training ground on the morning of the game and watching the match at home.
New United manager Ruben Amorim explained his decision to Sky Sports pre-match, saying: "We try to evaluate everything training performance, game performances, engagement with team-mates, push their team-mates up. Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players. It is my selection. Simple.
"I don't want to send a message it is simply an evaluation and they know it. The players are really, really smart. Everybody understands my decision and I have to choose. It is simple selection. Of course the context is difficult because we have to win games and we have a difficult situation now.
"I pay attention to everything, the way you eat, the way you put your clothes to go to a game. Everything. I make my evaluation and then I decide. There is a communication after the last training. They are alright. They had training this morning and I was there. They trained really well."
Daphoenix23
36
He claims not to have any bad blood for the club but he’s indirectly trying to make MAN UTD look like the bad club trying to push him out when in reality the club have been over nice to him despite him never reaching the expected heights over 8 years in the first team. The club kept handing him one renewal after the other with bumper pay when he has never been Mbappe, Vini, Saka or Foden level and annoyingly he’s even older than all these guys mentioned. He’s had only two good seasons where he scored 22 and 30 goals, the rest have been mediocre to say the least and the last two season have been worst. Which explains why he has not been selected to play for England in the past 2 years, he still wants to play the victim with that? Let’s not forget he’s on over 300k a week. All he does is buy luxurious cars, fashion and drink, he has forgotten his footballing roots and lost the passion and hunger. So please Trashford is free to leave cos he’s not helping the team… he thinks he’s a big player when he’s not even closer to a Ronaldo at 19 version.
Dbeast
14
Rashford has proven with this interview that he's not mature enough, and was not playing for the club anymore from last season, but for his pay. Any footballer who loves a club will use this recent drop by the manager to train harder and play more committed football. But rather, he went to prove with that interview that he's no longer playing committed football for Man United recently, just like his friend Sancho. Over paid brats.