Marcus Rashford is set to stay at Manchester United after speaking to former Red Devils and now-Ajax defender Daley Blind about Erik ten Hag's style and coaching methods.
The 24-year-old forward struggled to sustain any kind of form last season and scored just five times in 37 appearances in all competitions. He was minded to leave the club had Ralf Rangnick remained in charge, and although the German is no longer at Old Trafford, Rashford was still unsure over his future.
However, Goal reports that the England international has spoken to ex-teammate Blind about Ten Hag's management and how he deals with players. It is understood Rashford is 'excited' about the prospect of working with the Dutchman, who has previously turned careers around, such as those of Sebastian Haller, Hakim Ziyech and Dusan Tadic.
The incoming United boss could do the same with Rashford, who needs an impressive start to the season if he is to break back into the England squad for the World Cup in November. Gareth Southgate has suggested that he and Jadon Sancho have a "a lot to do" to force themselves into the reckoning for the 23-man contingent in Qatar, but Rashford will fancy his chances to be at the tournament if he shines under Ten Hag.
Blind informed Rashford about Ten Hag's hands-on nature and that was music to the forward's ears as he is keen to get back to his best after a troublesome 12 months. Rashford feels his game has 'lacked guidance' in recent years under the management of Rangnick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho.
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Having sometimes played as a central striker under Solskjaer, it is understood Rashford's preference is to play on the left of a front three, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho likely to be alongside him. Anthony Elanga has also impressed when called upon but Rashford is hoping to cement his place ahead of the Swedish winger.
The Wythenshawe-born forward has been working hard in the off-season to get back up to peak physical condition ahead of the new campaign. He has uploaded a number of videos onto his social channels that show him doing running drills and ball work, including dribbling and shooting sessions.
After bursting onto the scene by scoring twice on his debut against Midtjylland in the Europa League, Rashford quickly became a fans favourite for his tenacity and desire to work hard on and off the field. He went on to net eight times during his maiden campaign at Old Trafford before hitting 22 goals in 2019/20 - the most he has managed in a single season of senior football.
Rashford will be looking to reach a similar level under Ten Hag as he tries to get back into the England squad. The Three Lions have two more matches before the start of the tournament but Southgate already knows what the striker is about and would not need to integrate him into the camp compared to the likes of Jarrod Bowen and James Justin, who were both given their maiden call-ups earlier this month.
