Marcus Rashford was supposed to be a Manchester United player for life.
When Rashford burst on to the scene in the Europa League, Old Trafford was encapsulated and instantly obsessed with the young Manc.
Rashford was dynamite, and fans knew it. He was quickly hoisted into the first team, scoring countless important goals and dazzling defences.
This was a familiar story for years to come, with Rashford blossoming into a key first-team squad player for Manchester United.
So now with Rashford’s move to Aston Villa imminent – just where did it all go wrong?
Well, poor on-pitch performances, combined with an abundance of falling out’s with managers mean that Rashford is no longer the hero at Old Trafford – and more so the Villain. Or should we now say, Villan.
The most frustrating thing of all, he’s one of our own. Rashford is one of many successful academy graduates, which is why his departure is one that leaves you a bit sick to your stomach.
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How Marcus Rashford felt about Manchester United
Rashford’s love for the club was only ever in question due to his actions, his words were always fond of the Red Devils.
In a first-person account with The Players’ Tribune in February 2024, Rashford once again made this known.
Rashford said: “If you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up. It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man.
“I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge.
“People will actually think I’m weird when I start talking about what United means to me. Because if you’re not me, then I’m sure it almost sounds fake. But you have to understand, when I was young, playing for United was everything. It was out of reach for us. It was hard to get there, and even harder to stay there.
“When I was about 10 or 11 years old, I was getting a lot of attention, and we had all kinds of agents and clubs trying to pass things to the family. United still hadn’t signed me to a scholarship, and people were offering all kinds of things.
“A few clubs offered us life-changing money. We’ll buy the family a home, we’ll put cars in your garage. We’ll change your family’s life. At the time, my mum was working as a cashier at Ladbrokes. My brother was working for AA. They had every right to tell me, “Just take the deal.”
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Marcus Rashford broke his Manchester United promise
But whilst his words were undeniable, the proof simply needs to be in the pudding – which it hasn’t been.
Marcus also told Manchester United fans he’ll get them back to ‘where we belong’. A promise we know now he’s broken.
“I promise you, the world has not seen the best of this United squad and these players. We want to be back playing in the Champions League, then we have a massive international tournament at the end of the season. We will be back where we belong. We just have to keep working, and that starts with me.”
‘Keep working’ was Rashford’s words. Ironic, considering Amorim’s major concern on Rashford is his work ethic in training.
In the past few years, Rashford did a lot of talking, but not a lot of walking. Ultimately, time caught up with him.
It’s incredibly sad to see him go, particularly for a small fee for Rashford which left fans seething, but you can’t say he hasn’t been given chances.
How Rashford will be remembered at Old Trafford is now somewhat tarnished, and it should have never gotten to this stage.
Rashford, ultimately, only has himself to blame. Actions truly do speak louder than words.
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