Youri Tielemans has rejected historic accusations that Marcus Rashford is not a committed professional. Rashford has been welcomed back to Manchester United after spending the season on loan with Barcelona, but some fans are not pleased about his potential reintegration.
Rashford's Return and Past Issues
Ruben Amorim axed Rashford from his plans in December 2024, initially dropping him from the squad for the Manchester derby, which led to the forward signing on loan with Aston Villa in the winter window. Tielemans and Rashford played together during that spell at Villa Park. The Belgian midfielder signed for United for £35million this summer, and he is looking forward to the prospect of playing with Rashford again.
Erik ten Hag encountered disciplinary issues with Rashford, who visited a Belfast nightclub days before an FA Cup tie in 2024 and also visited a nightclub shortly after a Manchester derby defeat in 2023, which the Dutchman branded "unacceptable". Amorim also saw something he did not like with Rashford, which led him to axe him from the squad, but Michael Carrick has been pleased with Rashford's application since he returned to United.
Tielemans' Praise for Rashford
Rio Ferdinand interviewed Tielemans during United's training camp in the Republic of Ireland, and the former defender asked about Rashford's time in Birmingham. Tielemans responded by praising Rashford's attitude. "He's got amazing qualities. And I mean, his touch, his acceleration, his finishing, you know, his qualities on the ball. But then I think what surprised me most with him was his commitment," he told Rio Ferdinand Presents.
"You know, there was such a big thing made out of him that he wasn't committed or wasn't in it for the right reasons or whatever. And you see the player coming in and it's completely opposite from what you hear. He was committed. He was doing the work. He was positive with everyone. You know, he was just a normal guy, you know."
"And then he brings his qualities to the team and he just plays. And you can see in that PSG double leg how good he was and how he added at the time to the team. And yeah, we [Villa] nearly got over the line against PSG and then won it. So, yeah, we were very happy with him."
What Rashford Needs to Succeed
When asked what Rashford needs to succeed on the pitch, Tielemans said: "I think he needs us. That's it. I think he just needs support behind him. And he would always create something. So it’s something that, as a player, you want in your team. You want that type of player in your team that can create at any moment. He can dribble past one, two, three players and then lay off for someone that can score. So to have him fit and ready to go with us would be great."
Carrick maintained the door was open for Rashford to return when he was asked about his future last season, and he reiterated that he is a United player when he spoke about his future earlier this week. United hoped to offload Rashford to Barcelona for the agreed £26m option fee at the end of his loan, but Barca signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle instead. Rashford has two years remaining on his £325,000 per week contract, which was signed in the summer of 2023 after a 30-goal season.
Head to the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel to watch the full interview.
