Once a player plays for Manchester United, the “ex-Man Utd tag” follows him forever, and even more so if he makes the news for a remarkable turn of events.
Unfortunately, the turn of events is not always positive, as much as Scott McTominay would have everyone believe!
Jose Mourinho’s infamous “where they how, how they play, if they play” rant comes to mind when talking about Man Utd’s ex-players and what they are up to now in their careers.
One of those players has just fallen out with the manager, is training separately, and things have gotten so bad that his contract could be terminated in the coming days.
Fred, Anthony Martial, Marcos Rojo, Nemanja Matic of Manchester United in action during a first team training session
Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images
Marcos Rojo’s club spell turns sour
Marcos Rojo joined Man Utd in 2014 off the back of a World Cup breakout, and he remained a serviceable option at both centre-back and left-back.
He left United for a homecoming back to Estudiantes in 2020 on a one-year loan, which he leveraged for a move to Argentinian giants Boca Juniors.
Rojo has been with Boca Juniors for the last four years, but that spell, where he’s made 118 appearances, could be about to come to a crashing halt.
Itatiaia Esporte reports (via ESPN Argentina) that Rojo has had a spectacular falling out with Boca Juniors manager Miguel Angel Russo.
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Rojo wanted more first-team opportunities, and things reached a boiling point in the ongoing Club World Cup, where Rojo has remained glued to the bench for the games.
The report states that Rojo is training separately, away from the first-team group, and things have become so bad that his contract could be terminated in a few days.
At 35, Rojo is unlikely to find a club at a similar level of football, so it could be curtains for him unless Estudiantes fancy another homecoming purely for emotional reasons.
Rojo will remain a Man Utd cult favourite
Even though it looks like Rojo’s career at top-level football could end with a whimper, his time at Old Trafford has ensured he’ll remain a cult favourite.
The Argentinian was never the most audacious or silky player, but he exuded the type of combativeness that is sorely missing from the current squad.
In his career, Man Utd are the club he’s played the most minutes for, and his record of 28 yellow cards in 122 games speaks more about him as a player than anything else.
He went a step ahead at Boca, getting booked 40 times in just 118 games, adding a straight red card to the mix as well.
He could be too aggressive for his own good sometimes, but his left-footedness, versatility, and swagger made him a cult favourite at Man Utd.
The hope is that he can end his career with another trophy or at least as a regular starter for a good club.