Marcus Rashford showed during Manchester United’s defeat at Arsenal that he will struggle with Ruben Amorim’s expectations.
That is the view of former Premier League striker Troy Deeney, who fears the former England star will regret not making the most of his talent in the years to come.
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Rashford has been in the Man United squad since he was seven years old.
But now, aged 27, he is finding it difficult to replicate the promising form he once showed, leading to him being linked with an exit.
Former Watford striker Deeney joined The Pitch Prospect Drive on Wednesday and believes Rashford was allowed to underperform at Old Trafford.
Asked what he thought went wrong for him, Deeney said: “Without being mean, I think he has developed a superstar level which he has benefited from because Man United have been so poor in the last few years was.”
“From contracts and games, especially at the start of the season. He played and he was terrible.”
“But he kept playing and they would take off [Alejandro] Garnacho, take off [Amad] Diallo, whoever it was.
“I just think he’s developed a certain level of superstardom, although he probably doesn’t deserve it if I’m being completely honest.”
The Red Devils are keen to retain young stars Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Garnacho, but are open to offers from virtually any other player to stay on the right side of the PSR rules.
The Pitch Prospect understands this includes England striker Rashford, who has previously been linked with Paris Saint Germain.
As a homegrown player, he would represent a 100 percent asset in the club’s books.
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A deal of this size is unlikely to happen in January.
But the Red Devils are ready to consider selling their £300,000-a-week academy poster boy after several months of poor performances and concerns about his off-field lifestyle.
When asked by host Andy Goldstein whether a player can become lazy and potentially lose interest in a club if he signs a new contract and earns a lot of money, Deeney said: “I don’t think it’s about whether he’s lazy can be.”
“That’s what you’re allowing him to get away with. And I think I said this a few weeks ago when the new manager came in, I think Marcus will struggle because of the standard expected.”
“And then obviously he scored two games in a row and against Arsenal he dropped it.”
Rashford started the season in Erik ten Hag’s starting XI but his minutes have declined since his sacking in October and the arrival of new coach Ruben Amorim.
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Although Rashford scored in Amorim’s first game against Ipswich and then scored a brace against Everton, he was substituted for the subsequent 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in midweek.
In the 2-3 defeat against Nottingham Forest, he came on for Garnacho after an hour and almost scored the late equalizer, but his attempt was blocked and went into the corner.
At the time of writing, Rashford has scored four goals and picked up one assist in 15 league games this season.
But Deeney says his attitude at the Emirates showed exactly why he was not effective on the pitch.
“I was at the Arsenal game,” Deeney continued. “When he came on there was no point in bringing him on. It was an embarrassment when he came on.”
“I ran around, tried to do a huge dive, threw him off the pitch, and then when all the players went to the fans to clap, he was at the back, he was the first to go and I just thought, you .” You’re a baby.
“You’re a baby. What is he now, 27? He should be at the peak of your powers. Apparently the finances are now taken care of. Who are you as a person? What do you stand for?”
“And my worry, the real worry for Marcus, is that he’s going to end up regretting not taking advantage of it because it’s hard to live with.”
“You know, for me personally, I had a good career, I did really well. But where I come from and where I arrived, I can cope well with it.”
“I squeezed every part of the orange, you know what I mean?”
Asked whether it might be the people around him who are hurting him, Deeney insisted the blame lies on Rashford’s shoulders.
“No, in the end everything falls to him,” he said. “And I’m just disappointed because I think he could have been a world champion. I really do.”
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“I think he could have been someone who played regularly for England. He could have scored a lot of goals. He could have been an absolute star for Man United for many years and gone down in history as a club legend.”
“And I think what will happen is that he will tarnish that and ultimately end up like someone like Jesse Lingard. It was like: What if? What if he had, you know, advocated?
“I think he also lost interest in the media.”
Rashford’s current contract at Man United now runs for three years, but he could leave the club he has spent his entire career with sooner.
Asked where he thought the striker could end up, Deeney said: “Wicked, he would probably suit Spurs because there are no expectations from Spurs.”
“The players who go there aren’t expected to win the league, are they?”