Marcus Rashford ‘more natural' playing as a No 9 amid uncertain Manchester United future
Marcus Rashford says he now feels 'more comfortable and more natural' playing as a central striker after his loan spell at Aston Villa.
As reported by The Athletic on June 3, Manchester United will seek offers for the 27-year-old this summer as he does not appear to feature in head coach Ruben Amorim's plans, with another loan an option.
Advertisement
Rashford has previously been of interest to Barcelona, though the La Liga club have agreed personal terms with Nico Williams of Athletic Club, another wide forward. The England international's brother and agent, Dwaine Maynard, was in the Spanish city for talks.
The debate over Rashford's best position has followed the Englishman through his career but, as he appears set for a move this summer, he says he is warming more towards of the idea of primarily playing through the middle.
'For me, playing as a number nine is becoming more comfortable, more natural,' Rashford told Spanish Youtube channel xBuyer. 'Small things, such as playing back to goal, it's becoming easier for me. You're always in front of the goal so you're always dangerous.
When asked what player from the past that he saw the most in himself, he added: 'Maybe Henry. He is comfortable playing off the left side and in the middle. And he is a free-flowing player.
'When I was younger, I was enjoying watching clips from him and him playing in the Premier League.'
Jose Mourinho, who coached Rashford during his time in charge of United between 2016 and 2018, questioned his ability to operate as a striker in October 2019: 'As a number nine, I don't think he has the 30 goals a season in him. I don't think he can get better as a target man. He is not a target man, he is a man of movement.'
During his loan spell at Villa in the second half of 2024-25, Rashford was often deployed through the middle. This was to great effect, particularly against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Rashford scored four goals and provided six assists in 17 games for Villa. He has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for United.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pope ton continues England revival after India collapse
A superb unbeaten century from Ollie Pope helped drag England back into the first Test against India at Headingley, with the home side closing day two on 3-209, 262 runs behind the touring side. India were cruising late in the morning session on 3-430, only to be all out for 471, England taking the last seven wickets in an hour either side of lunch to give themselves hope of mounting a disappointing day one revival. In reply, in more difficult, overcast conditions in Leeds, the highest-ranked test bowler in the world, Jasprit Bumrah, struck to remove England opener Zak Crawley for four before Ben Duckett and Pope steadied the ship to the delight of the home crowd. Bumrah broke their 122-run second-wicket partnership when he bowled Duckett for 62, before Joe Root became the Indian dangerman's next victim moments after Pope had reached his second successive test ton. A perfectly placed late cut brings Ollie Pope his 50 😅🤝 @IGcom — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 21, 2025 He was 100 not out and the leading scorer as England slashed their deficit but Pope was far from perfect. He survived a testing opening spell from Bumrah, narrowly avoiding an lbw decision on 34 and was dropped on 60. But after riding his luck after trading blows with the seamers, he defiantly racked up his ninth test hundred and second against India, jumping for joy in celebration. Harry Brook was very fortunate to survive in the final over of the day when he was caught at mid-wicket off a Bumrah no ball, but Saturday nonetheless belonged to the home side. Resuming on 3-359, India captain Shubman Gill quickly moved past his highest test score. He was supported by the flamboyant Rishabh Pant as India took control in the morning session. Pant was sweeping and scooping to his heart's content, often ending up on his knees, fittingly moving to his seventh test ton with another six into the crowd, celebrated with a forward somersault. Gill fell for 147 chasing another maximum, while Pant's thrilling innings came to a halt when he was trapped lbw by Josh Tongue for 134. The wicket-keeper's dismissal sparked an Indian collapse as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just 18 runs. Bumrah then did his best to swing the test back in India's favour. After Crawley was caught in the slips, Duckett was dropped on 15 and survived a DRS review, both off the bowling of the Indian talisman. Another fine sweep shot took Duckett to his 14th test half century just before tea, before Bumrah got his reward for keeping England under pressure. Root was given out lbw on seven, a decision that was overturned following a DRS review, while Pope was dropped by opening day centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal when on 60. The joy from Pope's ninth test century was short-lived as Bumrah continued to cause problems. Root edged another ferocious bolt through to the slips, before Brook's fortunate reprieve after his poor shot looped into the air. Given where they started the day, England will take some comfort from how the proceedings ended.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Jasprit Bumrah turns the series into two – when he's bowling and when he's not
You could see the weather coming at Headingley, there were billows of grey rain clouds out to the south, creeping slowly up towards the back of the Football Stand. And you knew something wicked was on its way in England's innings, too. The rain arrived right around the time it was supposed to begin, when Jasprit Bumrah was there waiting for them at the far end of his run, tossing the ball from one hand to the other, wearing a forbidding grin. England's openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, were so slow walking out to join him in the middle that it felt as if they were hanging on word of a last-minute pardon. Advertisement Related: Pope century lifts England after bowlers claw control away from India They got one, or a reprieve at least, when the umpires called for the ground staff to bring on the covers. Crawley and Duckett had made it a few yards past the boundary and they retreated so quickly that they had already disappeared by the time Bumrah turned on his heels to look for them. India made a point of lingering in the middle and even sent their squad players out to kick a football around during the rain break just to make the point that the conditions were not so bad as all that. Unless you had to bat in them. It is thankless job bowling when the sun is out on a pitch like this, but at least you do not have to open the innings against the best quick in the game under floodlights in the spitting rain. Crawley, wide-eyed and pale-faced, rose to the occasion like a game young subaltern following the major's order to lead the men out of the trench. He lasted all of six balls. He was utterly beaten by the first one Bumrah aimed in at him, which straightened after it hit the pitch and ricocheted away off the edge of his bat. Bumrah beat Ollie Pope with a similar delivery, only this time the edge fell in between the slips and raced to the boundary. He ought to have got Duckett, too. He had him dropped twice, once at slip, once at gully, and then beat him all ends up with a wicked yorker that hit him just outside the line of leg stump. That was all in the space of nine balls. Duckett was so very keen to get himself away from Bumrah's end that he nearly ran himself out trying for a leg bye when a delivery from Mohammed Siraj bounced off Pope's pads through to Rishabh Pant. Advertisement Then, the worst of it passed. Just like the weather. Bumrah made way after five overs and Pope and Duckett drank up India's change bowling like men who had just come to the first pub on the far side of the desert. Then Bumrah was back on. In his second spell he blew apart Duckett's stumps with a ball that nipped and slipped off the inside edge of a wildly ill-advised drive and had Pope dropped at second slip. He shouted in frustration after that catch went down. His back is giving in and he only has so many deliveries left in him. India are not so blessed with bowling they can waste so many of them. The fielders finally held on to one in his third spell, when he had Joe Root caught at slip. Then in the final over he bounced out Harry Brook with what turned out to be a no ball. By stumps, he had taken three for 48, and it could easily have been double the first number. His teammates managed none for 149 between them. It already feels as if there are going to be two series going on this summer, one when Bumrah's bowling and one when he's not. England's chances are a a lot better in one than they are the other. Fortunately for them, Bumrah's already said he expects to be able to play three of the five games. The series may turn on whether England can take good advantage of the other two. It also feels as if they will need one of their fast bowlers back if they are going to keep up with India, whether it is Jofra Archer, who should be fit for the second Test, or Mark Wood, who says he is targeting the fifth. Because right now, bless Chris Woakes, England's bowling all looks a little bit milquetoast. Ben Stokes dug his team out of trouble here by bowling 20 overs and taking four for 66, which is surely a deal more work than the medical team would like him to be doing at this point in his career. Otherwise, for a team who have 12 fast bowlers on contracts, plus four more who have been in one Test squad or another sometime in the past 12 months, their bowling has looked pretty thin this season. They are a good team, but they are missing the extra ingredient that might make them a great one. The attack needs a splash of Tabasco, to give it some of that heat Bumrah brings to India.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Arsenal 26yo nominated for PFA Player of the Year
Declan Rice has been named in the top six for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award for 2025, following a strong campaign with Arsenal. Photo byThe PFA confirmed their top-six players for the Players' Player of the Year award on Friday, with Declan Rice joining Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Chelsea's Cole Palmer, and Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah. Advertisement The winner of the award will be announced later this year, with the ceremony taking place at the Manchester Opera House on August 19th. Arsenal face Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 17th, so Rice may just want to stay on in Manchester if he plans to attend in person. Photo byRice has received plenty of recognition on all fronts for his performances throughout the 2024/25 campaign. The Arsenal fans named him their Player of the Season, the Football Writers' Association put him in their top-four picks for Footballer of the Year, and the Premier League nominated him in their top eight for Player of the Season. Advertisement Now the players have also recognised Rice's displays with their own nomination through the PFA. Photo byRice made 52 appearances for Arsenal this season, scoring nine goals and assisting a further 10 in all competitions. That included 11 direct goal contributions in the Premier League, breaking double figures for the second season running – a feat he never achieved at former club West Ham United. Salah is surely the favourite for the PFA award, having already won the Premier League's Player of the Season award and the FWA's Footballer of the Year award. But all parties are evidently in agreement that Rice was one of the other outstanding performers in English football in 2024/25.
