Marcus Rashford slams ‘ridiculous’ claim over potential Manchester United exit

LONDON – Marcus Rashford has blasted “ridiculous” claims that the unsettled Manchester United star wants a new agent to fulfil his desire to quit Old Trafford.

A report this week said England forward Rashford had approached a leading sports agency in a bid to engineer a move.

The 27-year-old has hinted that he would be prepared to leave United. Rashford said in an interview in December 2024 that he was ready “for a new challenge” after falling out of favour with new manager Ruben Amorim.

The United youth academy graduate was omitted from four successive match-day squads in December, starting with the derby against Manchester City, before being an unused substitute for the 2-0 defeat by Newcastle United on Dec 30.

Asked about his decision not to bring on Rashford, Amorim said: “I think about the team.

“You think a lot about Marcus. I think about the team. When I’m there, I’m not making a point. I just want to win the game.

“And you can feel it – I’m talking about the idea and the fight for relegation. Do I want to make a point during a game? No, I just want to win the game.”

Rashford has struggled badly over the last two seasons, netting just four times in the Premier League this term.

Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are among the clubs linked with him.

But Rashford, who is represented by his brother Dwaine Maynard, responded to the latest claims about his future by insisting he had not changed his agent.

“Been a lot of false stories written over the past few weeks, but guys this is getting ridiculous – never met with any agency and don’t have any plans to,” he wrote on Instagram.

Last week, former England goalkeeper Ben Foster, 41, suggested that Rashford has lost his fire.

The retired player said on his podcast: “There are so many people that talk about him that say ‘on his day, on his day’.

“His day is once every 10 games. Genuinely, it’s once every 10 games and you can’t have a luxury player in the modern game that will give you one game out of 10, it’s as simple as that... 

“Once that fire goes, can you get that back? It has to come from him. I don’t think he can get it back... 

“Once people have that massive contract and they’ve got that five years in the bank and they’ve got everything they’ll ever need for the rest of their life, that takes it (that fire) away.”

Next up for Rashford and the struggling Red Devils is a daunting trip to Anfield to face league leaders Liverpool on Jan 5.

United are 14th in the table, their lowest position at the turn of a year in the league since 1989 (15th), when they eventually finished 13th.

They have 22 points from 19 matches and a goal difference of minus five. They have lost five of their last six Premier League matches, including their last three at Old Trafford.

Amorim warned after the loss to Newcastle that they are in a relegation fight. They are seven points better off than Ipswich Town, who occupy the final relegation spot in 18th after upsetting Chelsea on Dec 30. AFP