Manchester United Will Not Let Marcus Rashford Leave This Summer

Since Jose Mourinho arrived at Manchester United two seasons ago, no player has made more appearances than Marcus Rashford. It's a statistic that seems confusing right now, given the player seems unhappy at his amount of game time.

Seasoned United writer David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror reported this week that the 20-year-old is willing to consider a move away from Old Trafford if the Portuguese remains at the helm.

It's a rumour worth taking seriously given the reliable source, and it's intriguing that his main gripe is a lack of minutes on the pitch.

In fairness, the fact that he has made more outings under Mourinho than any other player does not tell the whole story of Rashford's situation, as the time he has spent on the field does not add up to a whole lot.

In fact, since Alexis Sanchez joined the club in January, the England international has totalled 156 minutes in the Premier League. That's not even two full games in almost three months.

The clash against Manchester City on Saturday is believed to have pushed him over the edge; he collected eight minutes of action in one of the biggest games of the season.

Rashford is just 20 but clearly feels he deserves to be a more important part of the setup. It's understandable that he would be frustrated: His rise has come to a sudden halt.

Sources close to the situation confirmed to me that Rashford has become increasingly agitated over the small number of opportunities he has been given in recent months, but figures around the club are also confident he is not angry enough to aggressively push for a move.

He has stated before that he knows how significant his role is as a local player in the Manchester United team.

There also seems to be no problem as far as his manager is concerned.

One source close to matters around Old Trafford told me: "Mourinho is actually a huge admirer of Rashford's style and believes he is going to be a big player at the club for years to come. If he has not had as many minutes on the pitch this season, it might be because the manager is being cautious about putting too much pressure on his shoulders."

Cynics would say the flip side of that argument is Mourinho simply does not trust him, but insiders insist that is not the case. 

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It was United's official website that revealed Rashford had featured in 97 games under Mourinho. "I wasn't aware of it before I saw it and it's something to be proud of,” the England international said.

But that quote was given before the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium. Since then, his frustration seems to have boiled over.

"Marcus was really unhappy with being left out for the derby," a source told the Mirror. "If Mourinho is still there next season, Marcus might not be, as he wants to start every game."

But, seriously, where would he go?

While Rashford has made a big impact since breaking into the first team at United, it is difficult to see how he could move to another club that would offer such ambition and stardom.

A glimpse at Danny Welbeck's move to Arsenal gives an idea of how a big transfer can prove to be a letdown for a homegrown United lad.

A look at the disappearance of Kelechi Iheanacho—a player of similar age and quality—from the back pages since he moved from Manchester City to Leicester City may also provide an example of how his career might turn out if he were to leave.

The United source added: "Look at Jesse Lingard. He had to show patience, but there was always a belief and plan to get him as a first-team regular. As far as I'm aware, the coaches at the club believe Rashford is going to be a similar case."

While his concerns are now making news, it is interesting that Rashford speaks positively of Mourinho in the latest issue of club magazine Inside United.

"He's a winner and he's come here because of one thing: he wants to win trophies," the forward said. "That matches the mentality of the players. We've already won under him and everyone just wants to continue to do that. Everything else just helps you get to the main goal, which, in the end, is to win trophies."

And when asked whether he was yet looking towards next season, he replied: "Not yet. Our main focus is finishing second in the league, that's important for us, and winning the FA Cup."

That's understandable, but perhaps Rashford should be looking towards next season—next season at United. He should focus on the aim of forcing his way into Mourinho's starting plans.

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I am told Rashford is not close to walking away from United, the club he has played for since he was seven years old. And in all honesty there is little point in imagining a life away from Old Trafford anyway, because the club have no plans to let him leave.

I am told the Red Devils would not listen to offers for him, even if the player did push for a transfer.

There are rumours of a potential exit for Anthony Martial, and that is far more likely, as explored in this article.

Rashford is Red, and he is going to remain so for years to come.