Wayne Rooney has expressed limited sympathy for Marcus Rashford’s challenges at Manchester United and suggested that the England forward might need to depart the club to enhance his growth as a player.
Despite Rashford’s disappointing 2023/24 season, scoring only his seventh goal from the penalty spot in a 2-0 win over Everton, Rooney, who faced scrutiny during his own tenure at Man Utd, remains unsympathetic.
In an interview with TNT Sports, Rooney stated, “Not much, to be honest. He’s in a privileged position where he is playing for Man Utd. He is the one player that I believe can get my goalscoring record. I hope he does but he needs to hit consistency.”
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Rooney emphasized the need for Rashford to find form and become a leader, highlighting concerns about his body language and suggesting that players like Raphael Varane and Bruno Fernandes should take on leadership responsibilities.
Rooney even hinted that Rashford might consider leaving Old Trafford to escape the pressure associated with playing for Man Utd. Reflecting on his own experiences, Rooney said, “It is difficult. I have said about some of the problems I had with dealing with it. It is important the people you have around you.”
While acknowledging the scrutiny that comes with playing for United and England, Rooney expressed hope that Rashford could rediscover form and enjoy a prolonged career at the club. However, he added, “Maybe he needs to move to another club. I hope the introduction of INEOS can help him be a one-club man.”
Rashford currently sits 12th in Man Utd’s all-time leading goalscorers list with 130 goals in 393 appearances, while Rooney holds the top spot with 253 goals in 559 games before leaving the club in 2017.