Marcus Rashford told to follow Harry Maguire’s example at Man United – as Troy Deeney delivers brutal 27-word message to Old Trafford outcast
Troy Deeney has urged Marcus Rashford to follow the example of Harry Maguire and ‘knuckle down’ to save his Manchester United career.
Rashford has effectively been exiled from the Red Devils squad since a bombshell December interview in which he said he was ready for a new challenge away from Old Trafford.
His comments came after he had been left out United’s squad for the Manchester derby and he has been absent from every Red Devils roster since then, save for the visit of Newcastle in late December when injuries and suspensions reduced Ruben Amorim’s options.
His plight stands in stark contrast to Maguire, who looked set to leave the club in the last couple of transfer windows, but has established himself as an important player and even earned a contract extension.
Deeney, who enjoyed a prolonged career in the Premier League, believes that Rashford should heed the example of his England team-mate and put in the hard yards to regain his place.
Something Amorim has at numerous times suggested is missing from Rashford’s game.
Troy Deeney did not mince his words in urging Marcus Rashford to ‘knuckle down’ to save his Manchester United career
The 27-year-old has missed the last 12 Man United games after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim
Harry Maguire looked set to leave the club but has established himself as an important player at the club
‘My message to Rashford would be this: Stop talking, certainly stop posting on social media, knuckle down and prove to Ruben Amorim and your team-mates that you deserve to be a United player,’ Deeney wrote in The Sun.
‘And remember what it was like for Maguire a year or two ago — which is far worse than anything that’s happened to Rashford.
‘Erik ten Hag humiliated Maguire by stripping him of the club captaincy.
‘Every time Maguire was partly responsible for a United or England goal, entire press conferences would be dominated by questions over his form.
‘Yet Maguire was a perfect pro, he stuck to the task of proving himself and here he is now as a key member of United’s first team and with a contract extension until 2026.
‘Maguire never said he wanted a transfer. He didn’t go on social media. He didn’t act like a baby.’
The Birmingham native’s harsh words come a day after Amorim doubled down on why he continue to leave Rashford out of his squads.
‘Our team should be so much better with Rashford, but Rashford has to change,’ he said ahead of United’s 2-0 win over Steaua Bucharest.
Ruben Amorim doubled down on why he continues to leave Rashford out of his squads
Aston Villa are keen to add an attacker before the January transfer window slams shut next week
‘If he changes, we would more than welcome a talent like Rashford – and we need him. We need goals, we need one against one, we need a threat in the final third.
‘But in this moment, I think it’s really clear we have to set some standards, that’s all. We are waiting for Marcus if he wants it really, really bad. That’s the only thing.’
The Portuguese also defended his comments after United won at Fulham on Sunday when he said that he would pick his goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital than Rashford.
Rashford was hoping to secure a move away from his boyhood club in this window but his list of options have dwindled as the February 3 deadline draws near.
However, on Friday, Aston Villa emerged as an unlikely destination following the side’s sale of striker Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr.
Villa are keen to add at least one attacking player before the window closes and are also in talks for Chelsea’s Joao Felix and Marco Asensio, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
Rashford’s wages of about £350,000 are well in excess of the salary of Villa’s top earner, thought to be goalkeeper Emi Martinez, and he would also lack match fitness having not played a competitive match since December 12.
