The end of Marcus Rashford at Manchester United looks like a matter of “when” and not “if” at the moment after a spectacularly quick turn of events.
What started as a selection decision in the Manchester derby has quickly snowballed into an indirect transfer request and effectively a proxy war through the media.
Be it Sir Jim Ratcliffe backing Amorim, or Rashford’s source of unhappiness coming to the fore, it’s quickly reaching a point of no return.
It’s all very unfortunate because, for a long time, Marcus Rashford stood as the symbol of Manchester United and the ethos of the club as its proud academy graduate.
Ben Foster, who spent time at Old Trafford during his formative years as well, has had his say on the situation and points out an event in 2023 where it all went wrong for the forward.
Ben Foster on Marcus Rashford’s situation
Rashford has received support from the likes of Ian Wright who have been quick to defend him for his achievements so far and the way he has been treated by the world.
However, it was Rashford who chose to talk about wanting new challenges days after being dropped for the first time, something that no manager would have in his squad.
He hasn’t been helped by his consistently inconsistent performances, with a 21-goal season in 2020/21 followed by a single-figure return, then back to a 30-goal season, followed by a single-figure return.
The level of peaks and troughs in his career means he can never be relied upon as a top-level contributor and Foster has pointed out the moment following his 30-goal season which ‘ruined everything’ for him.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Foster said that the lucrative contract he earned on the back of his displays in Erik ten Hag’s debut season could have ended his hunger to succeed.
He said: “Without a doubt [there’s a talented player there whose fire has gone out]. Once that fire goes, can you get it back? I don’t think you can get it back.
“You’re talking about money, it really does ruin everything. Once people have this massive contract and that five years in the bank, everything they’ll ever need for the rest of their life, it takes it away.
Marcus Rashford’s contract is not just a problem for him
Rashford was effectively playing for a new contract in the 2022/23 season so Foster’s point aligns with the timeline of his peak form and the subsequent collapse.
His current contract runs till 2027 and pays him north of £300k/week, a figure that is unlikely to be matched by any other club that would want him.
Therefore, it’s not just a problem for Rashford, who might be stuck at United unless he takes a pay cut, it’s also a problem for United because they’ve got a £300k/week albatross around their wage bill.
Rashford’s extension stands as a symbol of failure under the previous regime, too quick to reward mediocrity, or in Rashford’s case, only flashes of brilliance.
The wage structure had gone awry and that’s something Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs to fix with new contract extensions at the club.
For that, again, Rashford will have to leave because as long as he’s there, other players wanting an extension can use that as a benchmark for negotiations.
It’s a problem for everyone involved but only Rashford has the power to shift that narrative. So far, he doesn’t look like he wants to do that.
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