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Wayne Rooney has weighed in on the "strange" predicament surrounding Marcus Rashford at Manchester United, sharply questioning his fellow Englishman's drive and the influence of those closest to him.
Rashford made his first United appearance since December 2024 in Sunday's pre-season friendly against AC Milan and looks poised for a full reintegration at Old Trafford this campaign. Even prior to his exile under Ruben Amorim, questions had lingered over the academy product's inconsistency in front of goal — and Rooney was eager to reopen that conversation.
"It's just such a strange one with Marcus because we know he's got the ability. He's shown that," Rooney said on Stick to United.
"For me, has he got the hunger, does he want to play for Manchester United? Now, if he wants to play for Manchester United, the first thing he has to do—I've been there in 2010 when I asked to leave the football club—he has to build a relationship with the fans.
"And the easiest way to do that is to work hard and body language. Marcus's body language isn't great, and so it might be something he has to work on. He might have to work with someone to make his body language look better.
"His work rate has to improve, but if he wants to be at the football club, he just needs to knuckle down."
Since his last competitive outing for United, Rashford has caught the eye during loan stints at both Aston Villa and Barcelona. Youri Tielemans has insisted that the media's portrayal of the forward's work ethic was greatly exaggerated, while Barça manager Hansi Flick has openly expressed regret over his departure from Catalonia.
Despite glowing praise from beyond Old Trafford, questions within the club itself persist.
"If he's back playing for Manchester United, he has to have a real close look at who's round him," Rooney added, shifting focus to Rashford's management and entourage. "Only he can say who the people are around him who he really trusts. Because there's not many people you trust really. It'd be a small amount of people, keep them close to him, go into training, work hard, get himself right. If he does that, he'll be fine."
Rashford Set Vast Goalscoring Challenge by Rooney
For all the criticism Rooney was willing to level, he also conceded that Rashford remains the only player currently at the club with a realistic shot at overtaking him as Manchester United's all-time leading scorer: "He's a young lad. He's from Manchester. He's the one player who can go and get my goalscoring record."
Rashford wrapped up his first stint at United with 138 goals for his hometown club — 115 behind the benchmark set by Rooney, the player he looked up to more than any other. Based on his scoring rate throughout his senior career, it would theoretically require Rashford upwards of 350 matches to surpass Rooney's tally — the equivalent of at least eight seasons, which would carry the proud Mancunian well into his mid-30s.
It's not beyond the realm of possibility. Yet just weeks ago, Rashford seemed unlikely to make even a single further appearance for United. The twists of fate are rarely easy to forecast.
"I don't want to see Marcus Rashford doing well at Aston Villa or doing well at Barcelona," Rooney concluded. "I want to see him doing well at Manchester United and scoring goals for Manchester United. But that means he has to he has to just get his head down, work his socks off, and then be more positive.
"But it's on him."