Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has urged Marcus Rashford to fight for his future at Old Trafford and said he would be happy for the forward to stay at the club.
Rashford said in an interview to journalist Henry Winter on Wednesday that he was prepared to leave and “is ready for a new challenge” after 20 years at United.
Amorim said he is yet to decide whether he and Alejandro Garnacho will return to the squad for Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham after the pair were dropped for the derby at Manchester City.
But the manager said United are better with “big talents” like Rashford and told the 27-year-old that he wants to help him return to the “highest level” on the pitch.
Amorim has not spoken to Rashford since the comments on his future, as United’s players had a day off on Tuesday, but he wanted him to know that he is not being pushed towards an exit.
“He is right,” Amorim said when asked about Rashford’s comments. “We have here a new challenge, the biggest in football, we are in a difficult situation. I hope all my players are ready.”
“He’s our player and he’s ready for the next game,” Amorim continued. “I spoke with a lot of players individually and during training.
“What I want is to take the best of Marcus Rashford and the other players. I don’t talk about the future. I just talk about the present. I want the best of each of them.
“I just want to win and help the team to be better. We are better with Marcus Rashford, that’s simple. We will try different things to push Rashford to the best levels that he has shown me in the past.”
Rashford is under contract at United until the summer of 2028 and his deal, signed following his 30-goal season in 2022-23, is worth £325,000 a week. He has struggled for form over the last 18 months, losing his place in the England squad, but Amorim is happy for him to stay.
"Of course because this kind of club needs big talents and he is a big talent,” Amorim said. “He just needs to perform at the highest level and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.”
