Salford City director of football Ryan Giggs
Salford City director of football Ryan Giggs
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs expects Marcus Rashford to be one of four players who are moved out of Old Trafford on a permanent basis, having sparked back into life under Unai Emery at Aston Villa.
Rashford, 27, has scored four goals and produced six assists for Villa since joining the club from United, on a loan basis in the January transfer window. Villa have the option to sign him permanently, for £40m, but the player himself would appear keen to try a new country and a new league amid links with Barcelona.
What is near certain, though, is that Rashford won't be reintegrated under Ruben Amorim back in Manchester; the forward was shipped out in the winter having been frozen out by the Portuguese boss and, despite having three years left on his sizeable contract, looks set to leave for good in the summer.
Giggs, who is the director of football at Salford City, sees Rashford leaving along with Jadon Sancho, Tyrell Malacia and Antony, all of who are also out on loan currently. He hopes he can enjoy his football again, as has been highlighted by his time at Villa.
"I think that’s down to Amorim," Giggs told the Webby and O'Neill podcast. "I think he’s already made up his own mind and it might have even been taking out of his own hands by the power that be to bring money in to get his kind of player in.
"Marcus leaves a little bit of a sour taste, he is one of our own, he’s come through, he’s done so well when he was first in the team, but he didn’t look happy, he looks under pressure and not enjoying his football.
"So for Marcus’ sake, and you can see him enjoying his football now, I don’t see a way back for any of them. Marcus can play in any team. He has shown the quality he has got, for some reason it just hasn’t happened the last few years at United.
"When I was playing my best football it was because I was free, I was expressing myself, enjoying myself. It didn’t look like that when Marcus was here. He needs to find a place where he was loved and can reach the levels he is capable of."
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