Once celebrated as Manchester United’s golden boy and a voice for social issues in the Premier League, Marcus Rashford’s tenure at Old Trafford has ended in disappointment as he transfers to Aston Villa, leaving his reputation in tatters.
In July 2023, Rashford seemed to be on top of the world after signing a lucrative five-year contract with United worth approximately £325,000 ($400,000) per week. Fresh off a season where he scored 30 goals, the 25-year-old England star appeared to be hitting his prime.
His popularity soared both on and off the field, particularly after he successfully campaigned for the British government to reverse its decision on free school meals for underprivileged children, as well as his efforts against racism and homelessness.
In 2020, Rashford even graced the cover of British Vogue alongside supermodel and health advocate Adwoa Aboah as one of “The Faces of Hope.”
However, the 27-year-old’s decline in performance and the fallout with his childhood club have been so severe that his recent loan move to Villa, with an option to buy, was hardly surprising.
Rashford joined United at just seven years old and quickly rose through the youth academy, making a sensational debut in 2016 where he scored twice against Midtjylland and repeated that success in his first Premier League match against Arsenal.
At 18, he became the youngest England player to score on his debut against Australia. Over his career at United, he won the Europa League and both the FA and League Cups, netting 138 goals in 426 appearances. Yet, he has not lived up to the early promise he showed.
The issues leading to Rashford’s departure can be traced back to December 2022. After returning from the World Cup in Qatar, where he scored three goals, he faced criticism from then-manager Erik ten Hag for arriving late to a team meeting before a match against Wolves. Although he came off the bench to score the winning goal, his troubles continued.
In January 2024, he found himself in water again after reports surfaced of him being seen in nightclubs in Northern Ireland while he had missed training due to illness, leading to his absence in the club’s 4-2 FA Cup victory over Newport.
