Roy Keane has warned Marcus Rashford he may never return to his best form after the forward revealed he is ready to leave his boyhood club Manchester United.
Rashford was left out of the United squad for the Manchester derby by Ruben Amorim on Sunday and did not travel to London.
On Tuesday, the 27-year-old cast his future at Old Trafford in doubt when he revealed he wants a ‘new challenge’.
The United striker, who made his first-team debut in 2016, also claimed it was a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ regarding his departure when speaking to journalist Henry Winter.
The comments have caused a stir among the 20-time English champions and former captain Keane believes now is the right time for Rashford to move on.
Speaking on the Stick To Football podcast, brought to you by Sky betKeane said: “I don’t really care what he said, even if it’s a bit long, but it’s exactly right.
Marcus Rashford revealed he is now ready to leave his boyhood club Manchester United
Roy Keane believes this is the right time for Rashford to leave the company he spent two decades in
The former United captain also believes Rashford’s performances off the pitch have affected his form
‘Sometimes a deal works for everyone; it has been running for about two years now. There is clearly some talent there and he has been at the club since he was a child.
‘A change would probably do him a lot of good if he went abroad with his team and family.
‘My only warning for such players is him [Marcus Rashford] has all those qualities as a footballer. Once you lose that hunger, it’s hard to get it back.
“We know that for great players it has nothing to do with money, but with the next challenge and your pride.”
Rashford burst onto the scene at United as an 18-year-old, scoring four goals in his first two games.
The United icon made more than 400 appearances for the club, scoring 138 goals and winning five major trophies.
However, Rashford’s form has plummeted recently. He has scored just four times in 15 Premier League appearances this season, assisting once, as the side have slipped to the bottom half of the table.
Keane has suggested that Rashford’s actions off the pitch may have affected his form on the pitch and that his best days may be behind him for good.
Rashford has struggled this season, scoring just four Premier League goals in 15 games
The forward was left out of Manchester United’s dramatic victory over rivals Manchester City
“Marcus seems to have lost his way, and he’s lost his appetite,” Keane continued. “We’ve mentioned watches and all that stuff off the field, and if he gets a little distracted by that, it can be difficult to get that back.
“Maybe he will get it back if he changes clubs and settings, but I don’t think he will get the hunger back at United.”
On Monday, hometown boy Rashford, who has been with the club for 20 years and scored 143 goals, was sent home sick from training.
The club’s policy is that those who feel unwell should attend Carrington where they will be assessed by a doctor. Rashford was deemed to have a high fever and left the complex.
The next day, however, he was at his old primary school, handing out 420 presents – and dropping a great story.
The attacker, who scored thirty goals in the 2022/2023 season but has only four Premier League goals to his name this season, poured out his soul to former Times journalist Winter.
In a 1,021-word tweet about the grant, Rashford said: ‘For me personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps.
‘If I leave, it will be ‘no hard feelings’. You won’t get any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.
Ruben Amorim has claimed he does not want Rashford to leave the club despite dropping him
However, Amorim believes Rashford should have spoken to him first before making any comments about a possible departure
‘If I know a situation is already bad, I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen other players leave in the past and I don’t want to be that person. When I leave, I will make a statement, and it will be mine.”
When asked if he would always be a Red man through and through, Rashford – who was at the club from the age of seven and made his debut in 2016 – replied: ‘Yes! 100 percent. 100 percent.’
United boss Amorim has since claimed he wants Rashford to stay at the club, despite dropping him from the squad following the club’s dramatic win over Manchester City.
Nevertheless, the Portuguese coach wanted the striker to speak to him first before speaking to the public about his future.
“If this were me I would probably speak to the manager, but let’s concentrate on Tottenham,” Amorim said.
‘It’s hard to explain to you what I’m going to do. I’m a bit emotional, so I’ll decide right now what to do.”
Roy Keane spoke on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky bet