Marcus Rashford looks to move past tensions with Ruben Amorim
Marcus Rashford is keen to draw a line under his difficult relationship with Ruben Amorim as Manchester United prepare for a reunion with their former manager. The Red Devils face AC Milan in Poland on Saturday in their final pre-season friendly before the new campaign, with Amorim now occupying the opposition dugout, reports BritPanorama.
This match creates a fascinating subplot for Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, two players who endured strained relationships with the Portuguese during his turbulent spell at Old Trafford. Sources close to both United stars insist they are eager to move on from their previous issues with Amorim rather than turn Saturday’s encounter into a personal grudge match.
However, there is reportedly plenty of motivation within the club to secure a victory against their former boss, with some United staff particularly determined to beat Amorim’s Milan side. Rashford’s relationship with Amorim deteriorated significantly during the 2024-25 campaign, which saw the forward frozen out of the first team and left without a place in the matchday squad for nearly two months after being dropped ahead of the Manchester derby.
Amorim publicly criticised Rashford following a 1-0 victory over Fulham in January 2025. In that instance, he cited the player’s training habits as a reason for his exclusion, stating, “It’s always the same reason: the training, the way I see a footballer should do in life. It’s every day, every detail. If things don’t change, I will not change.” This tension ultimately led to Rashford joining Aston Villa on loan before spending the following season with Barcelona, where he won LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup.
During Amorim’s tenure, Mainoo also experienced friction, particularly when the manager publicly defended his decision not to start the midfielder. The landscape at United has changed significantly since then, with Amorim departing after an explosive press conference following a match against Leeds, leading to Michael Carrick taking charge.
Rashford has since been reintegrated into the United squad, and his return has reportedly been positively received by his teammates. New signing Youri Tielemans, who previously played alongside Rashford during his Aston Villa loan, has also rejected some perceptions surrounding the 28-year-old. “He was very humble, he was just hard working, and from the first training you could tell his touch, his acceleration was just amazing,” said Tielemans.
Carrick believes the changes at United have provided Rashford with an opportunity to reset, observing, “In some ways, it feels a fresh start, you know, with new players coming into the building, new challenges, new things to try and win, it’s quite exciting.” Nevertheless, Rashford’s longer-term future remains uncertain, with Carrick stopping short of guaranteeing his presence beyond the transfer deadline.
The match against AC Milan is set to be more than a mere friendly; it serves as a significant moment for Rashford as he navigates his evolving career. It encapsulates the complexity of modern football relationships, where past grievances linger as both a motivator and a backdrop to the excitement of new beginnings.
