EKO HOT BLOG reports that Manchester United interim boss, Ralf Rangnick, says Marcus Rashford is free to seek a move away from the club in the summer during a press conference on Friday.
The interim boss said should Marcus Rashford wish to leave the club and it ‘doesn’t make sense’ to discuss the possibility of a contract renewal now.
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It emerged on Monday Rashford, 24, is considering his future at United after he was left out of the starting XI for the 4-1 defeat by Manchester City even though fellow forwards Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood were all unavailable.
Rashford came on in the 64th minute with City 2-1 ahead before they scored two goals in the last 22 minutes of the game.
Rashford has started in two of the last 11 Premier League games and has lined up in eight of Rangnick’s 17 games in interim charge. Jadon Sancho has was named United’s player of the month for February after switching to the left-sided role Rashford has enjoyed his best form while Anthony Elanga broke into the team with key goals at Leeds United and Atletico Madrid.
Rashford is contracted to United until 2023 and the club has the option of an additional year but his future is suddenly uncertain, despite an exodus of attack-minded players certain, with Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba and Juan Mata all out of contract in June.
Rangnick has stressed his admiration for Rashford but conceded he has encountered ‘problems’ in a season where he has scored only five goals. Rashford’s two goals under Rangnick were both off the bench and the German insists the England international has had ample playing time.
“I spoke with him yesterday and the day before yesterday,” Rangnick said. “So I don’t know anything about [Rashford considering his future]. In my 25 years in professional football, I have decided not to take too much notice of things happening in the media.
“He didn’t say anything to me, he said to me that he is still happy and that he wants to perform on a high level for the club. There was no mention of him not being happy here.
“No,” Rangnick replied when asked if he was concerned a homegrown player was dissatisfied, “because we have quite a few other players whose contracts are expiring in the summer. For me, this is not a worry at all.
“My worry and concern or what I’m trying to achieve with him is what we did with, for example Anthony [Elanga], with Jadon, with one or two other young players that we have, to improve his performance and make sure that he gets the best version of himself.
“I don’t think that he’s not had enough game-time. He’s had 13-14 games since I’ve been here now, he played more games from the start than he didn’t play from the start. I don’t think this is an issue and he never said anything about that since we spoke yesterday.
“We should just finish this season as well as we possibly can and then there is enough time in the summer to speak about that,” Rangnick said, referring to a possible contract renewal. “Right now, nobody knows who will be the manager, how the club will be lined up in the hierarchy. I understand why you’re asking the question, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t make sense to put any energy into that.
“I can only repeat myself – I like Marcus as a player. I’ve had a few in the past in former clubs where they had problems at one stage but it’s our job to help him, to get the best Marcus Rashford that he can be. This is my job right now and I’m putting all my energy and time into that to achieve that.
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