Marcus Rashford joined Aston Villa on loan in the January transfer window and has been recalled to the England squad.
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Rashford has been recalled to the England squad.(Image: 2025 The FA)
Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt would both like Marcus Rashford to play for Manchester United again.
The relationship between Rashford and Ruben Amorim broke down in December and the academy graduate joined Aston Villa on loan for the remainder of the season in the January window.
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The option to make the move permanent was included in the deal and Rashford has been given the opportunity to play in the Champions League knockout rounds. The forward is yet to score in Birmingham, but he has contributed four assists and has been recalled to the England squad.
Thomas Tuchel has described Rashford's impact at Villa as "huge" and "impressive", and he could make his first appearance for England since March 2024 against Albania on Friday night.
Villa's option to buy Rashford on a permanent deal is £40million and selling the 27-year-old at the beginning of the summer will be crucial to unlock more funds for new arrivals at United.
Giggs and Butt attended the inaugural gala dinner for Foundation 92 on Thursday evening. The event raised £267,000 for community programmes and life-changing projects for patients at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospitals, and the pair spoke to the Manchester Evening News before entering the venue.
"I think it was the right thing for him to go," said Butt about Rashford. "He was not looking happy playing football here. I've known Marcus since he was nine, 10, and I consider him a really good lad.
"He's an unbelievable footballer, it just wasn't working for him. and that happens with so many people when they get to a little bit of quicksand and they can't get out of it.
"It was sad to see Marcus struggling on a football pitch when for probably seven, eight or nine years, all I’ve seen him do is shine every time he went on a pitch. He's gone to Villa, who are an amazing football club, they're doing so well, they've got a really good manager as well.
"They look like they've got their plan and what they're doing is correct. I went to watch a game for them, against Cardiff in the FA Cup. He's looking like, not quite the level he was at, but he's looking like he's getting to that level. He's got his call-up again which will be a massive boost for him."
Rashford is presented with the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award by Butt in 2016.
(Image: 2016 Manchester United FC)
Butt continued: "Hopefully, who knows, if he comes back to Man United, you just don't know. I went on loan to Birmingham from Newcastle, I never thought for one minute I'd go back.
"I ended up going back and was five years there and captain for three years. You never know what's going to happen with football. I'd like to see him back in a Man United shirt, but who knows."
Butt knows Rashford better than most, having spent nine years working in United's academy after hanging up his boots. "I think young players, when they go on a football pitch, they don't think too much. They just play," said Butt when asked whether Rashford struggled with pressure.
"The older you get, the more you worry about people not liking you or not performing well or the fans not getting their back. When you're young, you get a bit of leeway as well.
"You get a lot of leeway coming through the ranks. I got loads of leeway, the lads do. It's a bit unfair to say you get a little bit, you get a lot. As you come through, you get quite fortunate with that.
"He's definitely had issues at the football club. I don't know what they were, I don't know if it was off the field, on the field or what it was. Everyone can tell he wasn’t happy playing football.
"When you see someone you've known since he was a boy, it's sad to see. I'm glad he went, in a funny way. He's hopefully going to do well at Villa and see what comes out at the end of the season."
Giggs also admitted he would like to see Rashford have a future at Old Trafford, although he conceded that seems unlikely. "I haven't got any more insight than the normal fan really. All I can say is I worked with Marcus and he was a breath of fresh air when he came into the team," he said.
"I remember going over with Louis [van Gaal] to watch him train. He was with the Under-18s, wasn't he, with the reserves? It was a small-sided game and he just stood out. It was one of those moments where you just can't leave him out of the team. He came in and did really well.
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"Looking from the outside, it does look like he's got the world on his shoulders. He's forgotten what it's like to play with freedom. It's great to see him doing well at Villa. I don't know whether he'll come back. I'm not too sure. Obviously you’d like that because we just talked about young players coming through, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen."
You can read more about Foundation 92 and their inaugural gala dinner here.