Marcus Rashford: Man Utd forward says he is ready for new challenge
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford says he is “ready for a new challenge” after being asked about his future at the club.
Rashford, 27, was left out of Sunday’s derby squad, which saw United beat Manchester City 2-1.
New head coach Rúben Amorim confirmed there were no disciplinary issues behind his decision but appeared to hint he wanted to see more from the England player on and off the pitch in his first few weeks in charge.
Speaking to X Magazine football writer Henry Winter, Rashford said: “If I knew it was already bad I wouldn’t make it worse. I’ve seen other players leave in the past , but I don’t know. “Don’t want to be that person.
“When I leave I will make a statement, which will be made by myself.
“I won’t feel ‘sad’ when I leave. You won’t hear anything negative about Manchester United from me. That’s the person I am.”
“Personally, I think I’m ready for the new challenge and the next step.”
Rashford, who came through Manchester United’s youth ranks, has played 426 games for the club and scored 138 goals since his debut in 2016.
His most productive season came in 2022-23, when he scored 30 points in all competitions.
However, he has been out of form over the past 18 months and has attracted criticism from pundits and fans for some poor performances.
Asked about the decision to leave Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the squad for Sunday’s match at the Etihad Stadium, Amorim said: “It’s important to say it was not a Disciplinary issues.
“Next week, next game, new life, they are fighting for positions. For me, what matters is performance in training, performance in games, the way you dress, the way you eat, the way you compete with The way the team interacts – teammates and pushing teammates.”
Rashford was questioned by former Manchester United captain Gary Neville after he flew to the United States during the recent international break and was pictured attending an NBA game in New York.
Speaking further about his situation, Rashford said he felt “misunderstood”, adding: “It’s frustrating to be left out of the derby but it happened and we won the game so let’s keep going.
“It’s disappointing, but I’m an older guy and I can handle setbacks. What do I do? Sit there and cry? Or try my best the next time I have free time.”
He also stressed that the prospect of England returning under new manager Thomas Tuchel “still excites him” after being left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for this summer’s Euros in Germany ”, the Three Lions lost to Spain in the final.
