Roy Keane urges Manchester United star to leave the club

Manchester United legend Roy Keane believes Marcus Rashford should look for a ‘new challenge’ away from Old Trafford. 

It was reported last week that United were open to offers for Rashford, 27, ahead of the January transfer window. 

Rashford has been one of the biggest success stories from the club’s academy, making over 400 appearance for the first-team since graduating from the youth teams. 

The ex-England star has been a mainstay in the United team for almost a decade but his performances have been inconsistent at best. 

After starring in Erik ten Hag’s first season at the club – scoring 30 goals in all competitions – Rashford contributed just eight goals last term and has continued to struggle during the current campaign. 

There were signs Rashford might enjoy a revival under Ten Hag’s replacement Ruben Amorim as the forward scored three goals in the Portuguese’s first two games in charge, but he was subsequently dropped from the starting XI and then the entire squad for Sunday’s Manchester derby. 

The absence of Rashford and fellow forward Alejandro Garnacho felt like a significant move from Amorim, who suggested he was unhappy with their output in training. 

Amorim’s selection gamble paid off as his Manchester United side scored two late goals to come from behind and stun Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. 

The United boss will give Rashford and Garnacho a clean slate this week and consider picking both for Thursday’s crucial Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham, but Keane believes the former would be better off leaving. 

Joining another Premier League club appears unlikely but Rashford is believed to be open to a move abroad as he considers attempting to revive his career away from the Theatre of Dreams.

‘It doesn’t look good for him,’ Keane told Sky Sports shortly before the Manchester derby. ‘A move for Marcus would suit the player – a new challenge for him.

‘He’s been there a long time. When you’re at a big club and your attitude is not right – and it hasn’t been great recently – sometimes it’s good to part ways. He [Amorim] has obviously seen something he doesn’t like.’

Manchester City looked set to inflict yet another derby defeat on Manchester United as they led with five remaining thanks to Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header. 

But Diallo inspired a stunning comeback, first winning a penalty which Bruno Fernandes tucked away and then scoring a dramatic winner in injury-time. 

Speaking after the win, Amorim said: ‘It was incredible. I think we deserved it. 

‘It was a very tough match but we believe until the end. We managed to score, we needed that win, it was important for us and for our fans. 

‘We were in the game for 90 minutes and that is very good. We talk about the Arsenal game, we played well in the first half but they were not believing that we could win. Today was so much more different. 

‘I also believe. Then we have Fergie time and we put the things together and something magic happened. It was a good day for us. 

‘They [the fans] need it. Just like us, but you can see the way they celebrate is special. 

‘But we need to continue. Our club needs to win these kinds of matches, I understand the happiness of our fans but we need to continue. 

‘With a victory for City, the performance was the same. We need to improve a lot of things but today the guys deserved the win. They were in it until the last minute and that is important for us.’

Manchester United remain 13th in the Premier League despite the derby win, while struggling Manchester City slip to fifth, nine points behind Liverpool.

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