"There’s too much pressure on his shoulders" - Pundit urges Marcus Rashford to leave Manchester United after England Euro squad snub
Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique has advised Marcus Rashford to leave Manchester United this summer after he was excluded from England's 2024 Euro squad. The pundit believes Rashford must leave Old Trafford to revitalize his national career.
The winger has seen a major drop in form this season, scoring just eight goals in all competitions. During the 2022-23 campaign, the Englishman was in excellent goalscoring form, netting 30 times for the Red Devils.
As a result, Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate opted not to include Rashford in the 26-man squad for the European Championships. Enrique agrees with Southgate's decision, claiming that his Manchester United teammate Alejandro Garnacho had a better season.
He said (via DAZN):
“I don’t think that Marcus Rashford has had a good enough season to deserve to be in the England squad. Even if you were to compare his performances over the season with some of his Manchester United teammates, like Alejandro Garnacho, you would say that Garnacho has had a better season than him."
The former Liverpool defender added:
“In my opinion, he 100% has to leave Manchester United. There’s too much pressure on his shoulders now and people are criticising him too frequently. He’s never out of the spotlight. "I just think that mentally for Rashford, Manchester United has really affected him, he became the club’s talisman at a young age and that is a lot of pressure - he needs to leave England."
Rashford has registered 401 appearances since receiving his first-team promotion in 2016. The Manchester United academy graduate has scored 131 goals and provided 64 assists in that time.
“I think maybe he could go abroad" - Jose Enrique names two ideal destinations for Manchester United star Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford's existing deal at Old Trafford is only set to expire in 2028, having signed a contract extension last summer. However, the England international has been linked with an exit this window after a difficult season.
Reports suggest that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are interested in the 26-year-old winger, as they search for reinforcements after Kylian Mbappe announced his departure this summer.
Enrique believes a move to another Premier League club would not suit Rashford, urging him to consider moving abroad. The pundit has named PSG and Barcelona as ideal destinations for Rashford.
He said:
“I don’t know whether Rashford should go to another Premier League club, that may be just as difficult for him. I think maybe he could go abroad to somewhere like Italy or Spain in order for us to see the best version of him again."
Enrique added:
“Rashford in full flow is a really top player – I think if you put him in a team like PSG or Barcelona, he would fit in and really prove himself to be the world-class player that I believe he is. I think that’s the best career move for him at the moment – get out of the spotlight in England and rediscover your form abroad.”