The debate rages on. What is Rashford’s role under new boss, Rúben Amorim?
The new Portuguese boss cut the 27-year-old from the roster during yesterday’s victorious Manchester Derby. The omission also included teammate Alejandro Garnacho’s. Whereas Garnacho’s absence might have been circumstantial, Rashford’s felt symbolic.
“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,” the boss replied when probed about omitting his two star players from the lineup.
A new era of discipline? Amorim’s strict vision for Manchester United
Amorim remains unafraid to make difficult choices if he believes they are for the team’s greater good. Sidelineling Rashford reflects a broader ambition: rebuilding Manchester United into a disciplined and cohesive unit, a project that demands unshakeable commitment, not just talent.
Rashford, the homegrown talent who became the poster boy for that commitment, has been scrutinized for his performances. His application in training is presumably sub-par; his demeanor around teammates is off.
Rashford’s 30-goal campaign during the 22/23 season seems a distant memory as he struggles with form, his current tally standing at seven goals. Of course, we’re only halfway through the season. He’s just one shy of the eight goals he scored in all 43 competitions last season. He’s bagged an impressive 138 goals in 426 appearances for the Red Devils to-date.
Rashford’s exclusion from England‘s Euro 2024 squad was notable. That Anthony Gordon, a player with far less experience, was selected in his place is a personal and professional blow. Rashford’s brother and agent’s public frustrations underscore his camp’s discontent. And yet, for all the noise, Rashford kept his public reactions measured and kept working in the off-season.
The stakes are telling for both the player and the club. For Manchester United, letting Rashford go would sever ties with one of their most marketable figures and signal a departure from their legacy of nurturing local talent. The forward’s wages—reportedly over $381,000 a week—complicate matters, limiting potential suitors to clubs with deep pockets. Hello, Saudi Arabia.
But this too shall pass. Amorim is playing the long game, mentally challenging United’s stars without alienating them. Ironically, that strategy didn’t work for his predecessor, ten Hag, and his management of Ronaldo.
For now, the ball is firmly in Rashford’s court.
