‘I joined Arsenal at 28 – Marcus Rashford could still be a success at a big club’

Ian Wright has refused to accept that Marcus Rashford’s career at the top level is finished despite his apparent Manchester United demise.

The England international’s career appears to be at a crossroads following United manager Ruben Amorim’s decision to axe him from last weekend’s squad for the Manchester derby.

Rashford was again left out and played no part in Thursday night’s Carabao Cup defeat against Tottenham, ahead of which he revealed in an interview that he was ready for a new challenge.

Reports claim that the 27-year-old desires a move to Spain but his options appear limited given Barcelona’s desperate financial plight and Real Madrid’s forward line already boasting the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

Arsenal and Chelsea have also been credited with an interest but the Gunners currently have no plans to make a move for Rashford with the likes of Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko more realistic targets.

Despite his indifferent recent form and question marks over his attitude and application, Wright believes there is still plenty of time for Rashford to turn his career around and prosper at an elite level club.

‘I got to Arsenal at 28, but you expect me to write off someone with the ability Marcus has at 27? Wright wrote on Instagram.

‘So many of you are desperate to see these young people fail so that you say you were right.

‘You would take 1% of the career Marcus has had!’

United, meanwhile, are back in action on Sunday against Bournemouth and Amorim insists Rashford is in contention to feature.

Quizzed on whether his omission, against Spurs was a result of stating publicly he was open to leaving, Amorim said: ‘No, it is the same thing guys, the same thing. Totally the same thing.”

Asked if Rashford could face Bournemouth, Amorim said: ‘Yes, of course.’

Mason Mount, meanwhile, will be absent for ‘several weeks’ with his latest fitness issue, but Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has promised to help the injury-stricken player through it.

Mount limped off after 14 minutes of United’s 2-1 win at rivals City last weekend and sat out Thursday’s narrow defeat away to Tottenham in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

The England international has endured a torrid time at Old Trafford since a £55million move from Chelsea in 2023, missing four months of last season with a calf injury and only playing 12 times this term due to multiple setbacks.

Asked how long Mount would be out ahead of Sunday’s visit of Bournemouth, Amorim said: ‘Several weeks.

‘I don’t know the exact date but he is going to be out for a long time. In that sense, it is part of football and we continue.

‘What I can do is to help Mase, to teach him how to play our game when he is recovering. Try to use that time for him to think in different things, and then I think the worst part is that we don’t have time to train like we should do when you are recovering for a lot of injuries.’