Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has expressed his interest in keeping Marcus Rashford amid the Englishman’s comments regarding his future at the club, Afrosport reports.
Rashford was left out of Sunday’s 2-1 win in the Manchester derby at Etihad Stadium, with Amorim clearly stating that his decision to drop the forward was not a “disciplinary” one.
The 27-year-old, who has been at United since the age of seven, made his club debut in 2016 and has gone on to score 138 goals and provide 63 assists in 426 appearances in all competitions.
The United No. 10, however, has struggled for form in the past 18 months, missing the European Championship with England and scoring seven goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for United this campaign.
In an interview with English journalist Henry Winter on Tuesday, Rashford suggested he is up for a “new challenge’ following rumours of a possible move away from Old Trafford for the United Academy graduate.
While at his press conference on Wednesday ahead of United’s EFL Cup quarter-finals clash against Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim spoke to journalists, who had questions to ask about the Rashford situation.
‘No [I haven’t spoken to him],” Amorim said when asked if he had spoken to Rashford. “Not yet. It was yesterday and I gave the day off to the lads, so he is our player and he is ready for the next game.’
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The 39-year-old Portuguese added that he would be delighted for Rashford to continue in his squad.
“This kind of clubs needs big talents, and he is a big talent. We just need to perform at the highest level, and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.”
Amorim supported Rashford’s claim of wanting a ‘new challenge’, adding that helping United return to the club is difficult, and he would be looking forward to helping the forward get back to his best.
“I think it is right, we have here a new challenge, it is a tough one,” the former Sporting boss said. “For me it is the biggest challenge in football because we are in the difficult situation and I already said that this is one of the biggest clubs in the world, so this is really a new challenge and the biggest one and I hope all my players are ready for this new challenge.”
“I spoke with a lot of players individually and during training. What I want to do is take the best [out] of Marcus Rashford, like the other players. I don’t talk about the future, just talk about the present, I want the best of each of them.
“And that is the key point for me. I just want to win and help the team to be better. We are better with Marcus Rashford and that is simple and we will try different things to push Marcus to the best level that he has showed me in the past, that is all.”
Amorim will be in the United dugout for the eighth time on Thursday at Spurs for a place in the English Football League Cup semifinals.
