Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney has urged Marcus Rashford to leave the club, describing his current situation at the club as “embarrassing.”
Rashford has been absent from United’s last 11 matchday squads, with manager Ruben Amorim making it clear the England international is not in his plans.
On Sunday, Amorim went as far as to say he would prefer to select 63-year-old goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital over Rashford.
The Portuguese manager reinforced his stance a few days later, insisting the forward “has to change” if he wants to play for the club again.
Rooney, United’s all-time leading goalscorer, played alongside Rashford briefly at both club and international level. He believes the 27-year-old is no longer himself and must seek a fresh start elsewhere.
Speaking on The Overlap, he said: “I’ve spoken to Marcus a couple of times and I’ve given him my thoughts and my opinion. I said you need to leave the football club because whatever is going on in his life and whatever is going on at Manchester United, he’s not the same. It’s not him.
“So I said for him, to have a fresh start, he needs to leave the club. The fact that your manager is coming out and saying that you are not training right is crazy.
“I can’t even get involved in this conversation!” 😡
The team discusses Marcus Rashford’s exile as he trains alone at Manchester United! 👀 pic.twitter.com/txCzBNK8YU
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) January 30, 2025
“With Marcus, it’s been going on for two years and it’s sad. It’s really sad.”
Despite Rashford expressing interest in a new challenge, he has so far been unable to secure a January ahead of the transfer window deadline on Monday.
Rooney, who regularly visits United’s training ground due to his sons’ involvement in the academy, recalled seeing Rashford training in isolation.
“I went into Carrington on Sunday to take my kids to game day, and Marcus was out on the training pitch with the fitness coach,” he said.
“But he was right over towards where the parents were walking past for the kids’ games. I looked at him, thinking how embarrassing it must be for him as parents walk past.
“I was surprised when [Rashford’s training issues] started over two years ago, but now I’m not.”
With Rashford’s future at Old Trafford looking increasingly uncertain, it remains to be seen whether he will find an exit route in the coming days or be confined to exile for a few months longer.
