Marcus Rashford has been marginalised and put up for sale by Manchester United as part of a cultural reboot deemed necessary to transform the club after standards were allowed to decline for more than a decade.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is intent that there can be no passengers and is ready to cut his losses on Rashford if there are suitors in January. A willingness to take short-term pain in pursuit of long-term gain was also behind Dan Ashworth’s exit as sporting director after five months, despite United having paid £5m to bring him from Newcastle.
Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were dropped by Ruben Amorim from the squad for Sunday’s derby win against Manchester City. While Garnacho is viewed as having a way back into the fold, the club believes Rashford’s time is up.
Amorim has decided that Rashford’s departure is necessary to help engineer a shift in culture throughout the club, affecting both football and non-football staff. United would consider a cut-price offer for Rashford. Ideally, a move in January would be arranged, but Rashford’s substantial salary of £365,000 a week limits the number of clubs that could realistically afford him.
Ratcliffe, the largest minority shareholder, believes a decline in values at United has been allowed to fester since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in May 2013. When assessing Amorim’s candidacy after Erik ten Hag’s sacking in October, Ratcliffe was particularly impressed by the Portuguese manager’s willingness to address the scale of change required to reset the club’s culture.
On Sunday, Amorim highlighted the importance of professionalism and discipline, stating: “It is important the performance in training, the performance in games, the way you dress, the way you eat, the way you engage with your teammates, the way you push your teammates.” He added that both Rashford and Garnacho would still be competing for a place in the squad for Thursday’s Carabao Cup tie at Tottenham and Sunday’s home game against Bournemouth.
Ratcliffe’s view is that previous managers have attempted similar revolutions but were ultimately hampered by a lack of structural support. His determination to align the club from top to bottom ensures that any cultural overhaul will be backed at every level.
The departure of Dan Ashworth last week further underscores Ratcliffe’s willingness to make bold decisions. While Ashworth left by mutual consent, it is understood that the working relationship between him and Ratcliffe became untenable. The optics of Ashworth’s exit after just 159 days are undoubtedly poor, but Ratcliffe remains clear that such decisions, however painful in the short term, are necessary for the long-term health and success of the club.
Rashford’s situation encapsulates the broader challenges Ratcliffe is addressing. The forward, once viewed as a cornerstone of United’s future, has struggled to meet the standards required. On-field inconsistency, combined with off-field issues, has contributed to the decision to move him on. Despite his undoubted talent, Rashford’s lack of professionalism in certain moments and failure to deliver consistently have made him a symbol of the complacency Ratcliffe is determined to root out.
United’s willingness to accept a cut-price deal or even a loan move for Rashford highlights the urgency of the cultural reset. While his wages pose a challenge, the club’s focus is on removing players who no longer align with the new standards. Amorim’s emphasis on discipline, work ethic, and team-first mentality reflects the values Ratcliffe wants to instill across the organisation.
There is a recognition within the club that the process will not be without its difficulties. Short-term pain, whether through high-profile departures, structural changes, or unpopular decisions, is seen as a necessary step toward achieving long-term success. Ratcliffe’s approach signals a clear break from the past decade of stagnation and declining standards.
Ultimately, sidelining Rashford is not just about one player but about sending a message to the entire squad and staff. The cultural reboot under Ratcliffe and Amorim is designed to reestablish Manchester United as a club where high standards, professionalism, and accountability are non-negotiable. For fans, the hope is that these tough decisions will pave the way for a return to the club’s former glory
