Former Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has criticised the club’s lack of long-term planning, saying constant managerial changes have left the team adrift and struggling to reclaim past glory.
Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast after completing a loan move to Barcelona, Rashford reflected on United’s decline since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. The 27-year-old, who made 426 appearances for the Red Devils and scored 138 goals, said the club’s instability has eroded its winning culture.
“We have been way below where we deem United to be but then if you take a step back… what do you expect?” Rashford said. “When Liverpool went through this, they got Klopp, they stuck with him… To start a transition, you have to make a plan and stick to it… We’ve had that many different managers, different ideas and different strategies to win that you end up in no man’s land.”
Rashford, who left Old Trafford for a short stint at Aston Villa in January before joining Barcelona, described United’s approach as reactionary rather than strategic. “At times, United were hungry to win… but it was reactionary. If your direction is always changing, you can’t expect to win the league,” he added.
Under new manager Ruben Amorim, United endured their worst Premier League season since 1973/74, finishing 15th and missing out on European qualification. Rashford said the lack of a clear footballing philosophy had damaged not only the first team but also the youth system. “When Ferguson was in charge… any coach or player that comes in has to align to the principles,” he noted.
The England international’s deal with Barcelona includes an option to buy for €35 million (£30 million), meaning he may have played his last game for United.
Despite leaving, Rashford remains one of the club’s few modern-era academy successes, winning two FA Cups and two League Cups during his time at Old Trafford.
