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Ruben Amorim wants Marcus Rashford to stay at Manchester United despite the player’s claims that he is seeking a new challenge.
Rashford shocked United in a bombshell interview on Tuesday by saying he is ‘ready for the next steps’ in his career after two decades at the club.
But Amorim, who axed Rashford from his squad for the Manchester derby victory at the Etihad last weekend, insists he wants the 27-year-old to stay and pursue his ambitions at Old Trafford.
‘Of course, because this kind of club needs big talent and he’s a big talent,’ said the head coach. ‘So he just needs to perform at the highest level and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.
‘We are better with Marcus Rashford, that is simple and we will try different things to push Marcus to the best levels he showed in the past. And that’s all.
‘I think it’s right. We have here a new challenge. It’s a tough one, for me it’s the biggest challenge in football because we are in a difficult situation and I already said this is one of the biggest clubs in the world. This is a really new challenge and the biggest one. I really hope all my players are ready for this new challenge.’
Ruben Amorim has opened the door for Marcus Rashford to stay at Manchester United
Amorim will decide whether the forward will feature against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup
Both he and Alejandro Garnacho (right) were left out of the Manchester derby matchday squad
Amorim has yet to speak to Rashford, adding: ‘No, not yet. It was yesterday, I gave the day off to the lads, so he’s our player and he’s ready for the next game.
‘I spoke with a lot of players individually and during training, what I want is to take the best stuff of Marcus Rashford as the player so I don’t talk about the future, I just talk about the present, I want the best of each one of them and that is the key point for me, I just want to win and to help the team be better.’
Amorim played down concerns that Rashford’s comments could cause problems for the rest of the dressing-room. ‘I think they (the players) are more simple than that,’ he said.
‘They focus on their job, everyone, all of the players, I was a player and we were a little bit selfish so they are focused on their job to win a place in the team. I don’t think it’s even an impact in the team.’
Amorim has yet to decide if Rashford can play in Thursday night’s Carabao Cup quarter-final at Tottenham in the circumstances.
‘We have one more training, but it’s the same situation of all the other players,’ he added.
‘If they train well then I have to make a choice. We will see at the end of training. I expect the best of each player every day so we will see after training.
‘My focus is to have all the players in the best that they can be to prepare for each game. There is no if at this kind of club, it is just Tottenham and let’s focus on this game.’