Roy Keane has questioned Marcus Rashford’s ‘hunger’ following the Manchester United star’s decision to join Aston Villa on loan in January.
Marcus Rashford was one of the big stories of the January window, and the sage had begun right after Ruben Amorim took over as Manchester United’s new manager. Following a good start under the Portuguese, which did give positive signs that the winger can improve his game, the homegrown star dropped a massive media bomb.
In an interview with journalist Henry Winter, Rashford revealed his desire to leave Manchester United for a new challenge and has not played for the club since. Amorim recently admitted that there was no place for players who did not want to play for the club, which was a direct reference to Rashford.
There were plenty of clubs linked from abroad, with Juventus and Barcelona among those keen. The Catalans were very much keen, but the finances involved in any deal to take Rashford, even on loan, would have proved difficult for them in their current condition.
Rashford agreed terms with Aston Villa after the Midlands club managed to reach a consensus with Manchester United. The deal reportedly has a buy option worth £40 million, which Villa can exercise at the end of the season. Although the decision to join the Premier League club does look like a wise decision in the middle of the season, Roy Keane was not impressed.
Keane expressed his surprise at Rashford’s decision, as his comments on The Sun appeared to question the winger’s ‘hunger’ in his call to join Aston Villa. The Manchester United legend made his point by asking how Rashford would find his hunger when he lost it at Old Trafford.
Keane said, “It is sad but has been on the cards the last year or two. Clearly they didn’t get on.”
“The strange thing is I thought he’d go abroad for a new adventure, but to go to Villa surprised me.
“If he has lost the hunger at United, how is he going to get it at Aston Villa?”
Meanwhile, Rashford is unlikely to play for Manchester United again following the club’s recent problems. Many will be expecting to see him get back to his best at Villa Park, although much will depend on how well Unai Emery is the winger. As for Keane’s suggestion that he expected Rashford to join an overseas club, there are some merits in the decision to join Aston Villa.
Some reports have stated that Rashford wanted to play in the Champions League, and it does make sense for him to join Villa in that regard. However, he might still see his future away from Aston Villa, as he reportedly desires to join Barcelona in the future. As for Keane, he has some merit in asking questions about his ‘hunger,’ but in the current climate, Rashford may have made the right decision that suits his cause.
