Ryan Giggs argues Man Utd ace has ‘world on his shoulders’ and needs to play ‘with freedom,’ he’s baffled by player’s fall

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Ryan Giggs has dropped his two cents on Marcus Rashford after the Manchester United player left Old Trafford and signed for Aston Villa on loan.

Marcus Rashford’s form fell off a cliff in the 2023-24 campaign under former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who was sacked last October.

The 27-year-old United loanee managed to score eight times in 43 appearances last season and Rashford’s struggles led to him losing his place in the England squad.

Rashford’s poor run of form continued into the 2024-25 season with United and he scored seven times in 24 matches for the Red Devils before his Old Trafford exit.

The England international fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim, who arrived at the Red Devils last November and replaced Erik ten Hag as United manager.

Rashford’s last match for United came in the 2-1 Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen in December 2024 before he was dropped for the Manchester City match.

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Giggs’ stance on Rashford

Marcus Rashford signed on loan with Aston Villa for the remainder of the 2024-25 Premier League season ahead of the transfer window closing on 3rd February.

Villa have the option to buy the Manchester United forward for a £40m fee at the end of his six-month spell, with the club covering most of his wages at the moment.

The Premier League club did not have to pay a loan fee and Rashford has now been afforded the opportunity to revive his career away from Old Trafford.

Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Barcelona were among a handful of clubs linked with Rashford, but the Villa player remained in England instead of moving abroad.

Ryan Giggs has insisted that it is important for Rashford to play with the “freedom and enjoyment” that helped kickstart his career in the first place.

“Everyone will remember that smile and that enjoyment and freedom when he first came through – but he doesn’t look like that now,” he said, as per The Daily Mail.

“He’s a human being and he just doesn’t look happy. He looks like he’s got the world on his shoulders.

“He needs to play with that freedom and enjoyment that got him to where he is now.”

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Giggs on coaching Rashford

Rashford was named on the bench for Villa’s 2-1 win over Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Villa Park on Sunday.

Unai Emery brought the Three Lions international off the bench in the second half and Rashford enjoyed a steady start to life at Villa Park.

Giggs was United assistant manager under Louis van Gaal when the Dutchman handed Rashford his Red Devils debut after he rose through the youth academy.

The United legend admitted that Rashford’s current vibe is a complete contrast from the player that he coached when he was at Old Trafford.

“United need young players coming through, one of their own and it just felt that he was the next one,” Giggs added.

“But for whatever reason, he’s had a decent career but he’s never gone on to be what I thought he would be. More so than anything, he’s a human being and he just doesn’t look happy.

“He looks like he’s got the world on his shoulders. And I don’t know why, because the lad who I saw and who I coached didn’t have the world on his shoulders.

“He just played with freedom, he loved the club and was a great lad but he just doesn’t look it now.”