Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has criticized Marcus Rashford, claiming the forward has let down his teammates and should be “banished” from the dressing room.
Rashford, who has not featured for United since December 12, has been left out of the squad by manager Ruben Amorim for all but one match, where he remained an unused substitute. Amorim recently suggested he would prefer having 63-year-old goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital in the squad over the 27-year-old forward, citing Rashford’s perceived lack of effort.
Scholes, speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, shared strong opinions about Rashford’s situation:
“I think Marcus has let a lot of people down really, with his attitude, and I think that’s what the manager is trying to say. You think of the young players coming through the team, like (Alejandro) Garnacho—they’re looking up to people like Marcus now. He’s 27 years old and clearly not training properly.
“I remember years ago when I told the manager (Alex Ferguson) I didn’t want to play in a game against Arsenal. He told me, ‘The worst thing you did is let your teammates down.’ That stuck with me. I wasn’t thinking about that at the time, but now Marcus is doing something similar.
“OK, he’s not refusing to play outright, but through his behavior and poor training, he’s essentially saying he doesn’t want to be involved. Letting your teammates down like that in the dressing room is unacceptable. He should be banished. If young players see that as an example, the sooner he’s gone, the better.”
Scholes’ remarks echo those of former United defender Rio Ferdinand, who recently stated on his podcast Rio Ferdinand Presents that there is “no way back” for Rashford after Amorim’s comments.
Rashford, who publicly stated in December that he is ready for a “new challenge,” has been linked with clubs like Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan during the January transfer window. However, his reported £300,000-a-week ($374,000) salary and a contract running until 2028 could complicate any potential move.
Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for Manchester United, but his future at the club now looks increasingly uncertain.