Ruben Amorim has barely had time to get used to life in Manchester and has faced his first big challenge.
The tactician tried to smile throughout the 14-minute press conference on Wednesday morning (local time) when almost every question revolved around Rashford. The England striker had previously said he was prepared for a new challenge after being left out of the Manchester derby.
The former Sporting "captain" is still calm and tries to resolve the problem in the most gentle way possible. Amorim understood that things would only get more complicated if he publicly criticized Rashford's interview.
However, Amorim knows his power is under threat and will be weakened if he can easily forgive Rashford. "It's a difficult situation to comment on. If I take it seriously, there will be big headlines in the newspapers and if I say it is not a problem, my standards are going down. So I will solve that problem, I understand that" - Amorim said.
Despite a press conference before the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham, Amorim has received almost no questions regarding the match. Even the dramatic win in the Manchester derby a few days ago was forgotten. Instead, all the questions revolved around Rashford.
Amorim has said he wants Rashford to stay and believes every player will face a new challenge at Man United. However, with the English striker causing trouble in the newly blossoming relationship between the two sides, it is difficult for Amorim to be calm.
The "Red Devils" will of course want to sell Rashford in January, but who will buy? Man United have reduced their asking price to 40 million pounds, but Rashford's £325,000 a week salary is still a big barrier. Although Rashford is in his prime at the age of 27, he has only scored 15 goals for the club in his last 67 appearances. In the England shirt, this striker is no longer in demand.
Not only has Rashford's form declined, he has also been involved in disciplinary issues. Man United legend Gary Neville even used the word "unprofessional" to describe Rashford. The reason is that the English striker attended a New York Nicks NBA match during his most recent international break when Amorim had just taken over.
Rashford still has 3 and a half years left on his contract signed in July 2023, when PSG were eager to sign him. Currently, no team is really interested in Rashford, while the Saudi Pro League is not a possible option.
Despite his decline in form, a part of Man United fans still love Rashford and moreover, this is his 10th season at Old Trafford. In addition, selling Rashford will also cost the "Red Devils" tens of millions of pounds. However, it would be a heavy blow to Amorim's power at Old Trafford if he kept Rashford.
