MARCUS RASHFORD may be moody — but he can still be magnificent again for Manchester United.
SunSport revealed this month that the Old Trafford money men are willing to listen to offers for the homegrown star.
This follows a slump that saw him bag just eight goals last season after a career-best 30 in the 2022-23 campaign.
Rarely did the England forward’s face crack into a smile on the pitch, while his relationship with boss Erik ten Hag went through the floor.
Yet Mark Hughes insists his former club would be “crazy” not to try to keep Rashford.
The Red Devils legend said: “It’s well-documented that the coffers are anything but full for this summer’s market.
“No doubt more players will be sold but if they can get him back to where he was the season before last when he was excellent, they are quids-in.
“They then have a world-class player again. The potential and the capacity to get back to that level is there.
“Everybody knows that and it would be a shame for United to lose that — and for Marcus.”
Rashford and Ten Hag ended up barely on speaking terms after the striker rang in sick following a night out in Ireland in January.
The Dutchman was already angry that Rashford had been spotted in a nightclub celebrating his 26th birthday hours after a 3-0 defeat by Manchester City in October.
England boss Gareth Southgate jettisoned the 60-cap striker from his Euros squad.
And United fans who idolised the lad from Wythenshawe had gone cold on him by the end of last season, too.
Those supporters believed Rashford’s body language and seemingly sulky attitude told the tale that he wanted out after almost 20 years at the club and 131 goals for the first team.
But Hughes insists you cannot always judge a book by its cover, especially when it comes to a player who reminds him so much of himself.
The Welshman went by the nickname of Sparky but was hardly the life and soul of the party.
Like Rashford he could appear cold, despite bagging 163 goals for United.
He even left Manchester in 1986 for an ill-fated spell at Barcelona before returning to finish with two Premier League titles to add to three FA Cup wins, a League Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Hughes, now 60 and a former Wales chief, said: “I was quite introverted as a player, that’s my personality.
“There’s nothing wrong with that and Marcus seems to be that way inclined as well.
“Sometimes the way you look, maybe your facial expression, can be misinterpreted.
“People might think you are not concerned, or the result or performance doesn’t bother you because you’re not one to show too much emotion.
“But deep down you feel as strongly as anybody. Certainly, I did, and I believe that’s the case with Marcus too.
“I was a bit better at showing emotion on the pitch than off it.
“I can understand why people would think, for example, that I got the nickname ‘Sparky’ as a joke because I was so quiet in the dressing room.
“But it was just the way I was. I didn’t feel I needed any help from the manager or the players around me.
“I just needed to know that I was appreciated and that I was going to play. Marcus may not exactly look the picture of happiness but I guarantee that out there his heart will pound as hard as anyone. I was that way.
“Scoring goals is the greatest feeling in the world and to be fair Marcus doesn’t look like he’s enjoyed it as much as he should.
“Maybe if he showed the joy a little bit more, people wouldn’t put a label on him.”
Hughes also sees similarities in the way United are considering selling Rashford, they would want £80million, and his own departure to Barca 38 years ago.
But he warned that BOTH sides could get it wrong if Rashford leaves.
Hughes recalled: “In my case it got to the point where everybody thought I was going anyway, so they didn’t try that hard to keep me.
“They just tried to get the best deal for United when, deep down, I didn’t really want to go.
“Deep down I wanted United to say to me ‘Listen, you’re not going, we’ll make you happy here’.
“I wasn’t on great money. I think six months before I left for Barca I was on £150 a week — not exactly a huge amount of money even then.
“But it was never about the money. I just wanted them to tell me ‘you’re here for the next five years and let’s get on with it’.
“That never happened. There were too many assumptions that I wanted to go which wasn’t the case.
“I’m sure, still, that United ARE telling Marcus what I wanted to hear back then. They would be crazy not to be doing that.
“He’s an outstanding player, still arguably one of the best players in the Premier League.”
Hughes, who has bossed six Prem clubs, added: “Last season for whatever reason, he wasn’t at the level that we all know he’s capable of reaching.
“The challenge for Ten Hag and his coaching team, especially Ruud van Nistelrooy now that he’s back, will be to get him back up there.
“And that would be the best for both parties.
“Make no mistake, Marcus may look moody but he’s still world-class and — like me — he’s United through and through.”
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