4 days Ago By [email protected] (Tyrone Marshall)
Ruben Amorim was never likely to metaphorically kick Marcus Rashford out of the door on Wednesday morning. Speaking to the media around 15 hours after Rashford's bombshell admission that he was looking for a new challenge, it would have been a surprise if Amorim had pulled a seat at Carrington and revealed he thought that was best for all parties as well. For starters, that would have severely weakened United's negotiating position when it is hardly a strong hand as it is.
Rashford still has three-and-a-half years left on a contract worth around £325,000-a-week. Finding a taker won't be easy. As a recently installed head coach, Amorim will also be reluctant to be publicly seen as forcing Rashford into making this move.
His decision to drop the 27-year-old from his squad for the derby day win at Manchester City led to the academy graduate saying he wanted out. ALSO READ: Ruben Amorim breaks silence on Rashford wanting to leave United ALSO READ: Touchline reaction was maybe the final straw for Rashford at United So, having made his own statement with that selection decision, Amorim was always likely to be more cautious in public. Behind the scenes, it might be a different story.
There are several reasons why an exit could suit United, and if it is seen as something being driven by Rashford , then that works even better. That's why Amorim essentially offered an olive branch in his pre-Tottenham press conference, telling Rashford that the challenge he craves was on offer for him at Old Trafford. "I think it’s right," Amorim said when asked about Rashford's reference to a new challenge.
"We have here a new challenge. It’s a tough one, for me it’s the biggest challenge in football because we are in a difficult situation and I already said this is one of the biggest clubs in the world. "This is a really new challenge and the biggest one.
I really hope all my players are ready for this new challenge. "No, [I haven't spoken to Rashford] yet. It was yesterday, I gave the day off to the lads, so he’s our player and he’s ready for the next game.
"I spoke with a lot of players individually and during training. What I want is to take the best stuff of Marcus Rashford as the player so I don’t talk about the future, I just talk about the present. "I want the best of each one of them and that is the key point for me.
I just want to win and to help the team be better. We are better with Marcus Rashford, that is simple and we will try different things to push Marcus to the best levels he showed in the past. And that’s all.
"Of course (I would be happy to keep him), because this kind of club needs big talent and he’s a big talent. So he just needs to perform at the highest level and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.
" Part of the problem is that Rashford has had this challenge on several occasions before. He is on to his fifth permanent manager at Old Trafford and has been giving off vibes over the last year that he has lost the enjoyment of playing for his boyhood club. He infuriated staff last year with some of his lifestyle choices, and as Amorim seeks to up standards, Rashford is an obvious target.
Then there is the fact that he doesn't appear to fit into Amorim's 3-4-3 system, although in his interview with journalist Henry Winter, he suggested the left-sided No.10 wasn't a position that was particularly alien to him. There is competition for those roles, but the Rashford of 2022/23 would have a strong case for occupying one.
But if he's only on the fringes, then his salary is too big a burden to carry, and his challenge will go unfulfilled. In that instance, it's pretty clear a departure is the best possible outcome. That can only happen in January at the earliest, and the four games United play before then - tomorrow's Carabao Cup match against Tottenham and then Bournemouth, Wolves, and Newcastle in the league - will be revealing.
If Rashford knuckles down and returns to the team, perhaps there is a way back. But if he continues to be sidelined, either out of the squad or on the bench, with playing time limited, then it will quickly become apparent that the head coach and player, for all their differing stances in public, are actually on the same page..
