Rio: Rashford will need to make a decision

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford. Photo by Shutterstock.

Rio Ferdinand fears Marcus Rashford will need to leave Manchester United in order to get his career back on track.

Rashford has struggled this season and Ferdinand believes the 26-year-old has a brutal decision to make this summer.

Rio Ferdinand visited one of the most popular football podcasts this week, where he made the comments on Rashford’s situation.

Former Leeds United, Manchester United and England international Rio Ferdinand
Former Leeds United, Manchester United and England international Rio Ferdinand. Photo by Shutterstock.

He told the Stick to Football podcast: “It’s a pivotal moment in his career now. He’s not a kid anymore. A lot of people look at potential and talent.

“He’s 26 – what were you [the panel] doing at 26? We were still making mistakes, don’t get me wrong, but on the football pitch you had it locked down, you knew what you were doing, you knew what you were about, who you were.

“There’s a big decision to make for him. From him, he’s got to look at who is around him.

“I know his family play a big part with him, which is great, but who are the external people around that?

“Are they the right people, are they enabling him to make excuses for himself behind closed doors, or are they saying, ‘Look at yourself, and be accountable for what you are doing’? He needs to look at that and own that and make big decisions.

“When I joined Leeds United, I could’ve gone to Chelsea, and they were probably the club I preferred to go to at the time.

“The reason I left [West Ham] to go to Leeds was because it was out of London, and the external people around me, I needed to get away from.

“He’ll need to either decide to get rid of them and stay in Manchester or leave Manchester and get rid of those people.

“It might be an accumulation of different things, but that could be a big part because the people around you do have a big influence on how you are – especially accountability.”