Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has called for Marcus Rashford to return to the club following the surprise sacking of manager Ruben Amorim. Hargreaves expressed sympathy for Amorim while highlighting Rashford's talent amid reports of a potential recall from his Barcelona loan. The move comes after tensions between Amorim and certain players, including Rashford.
Ruben Amorim was sacked as Manchester United manager on Monday, marking the sixth permanent dismissal at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. The Portuguese coach, who joined from Sporting Lisbon, faced poor on-pitch results and growing off-field tensions, including public criticism of club bosses. Despite this, Owen Hargreaves, speaking to TNT Sports, described the decision as surprising.
'I was surprised, and I think everybody was surprised by the decision to sack Amorim,' Hargreaves said. 'United weren’t playing exceptionally well, but they were still in a position where finishing in the top four or five was realistic.' He suggested United's move may have been influenced by Chelsea's recent sacking of Enzo Maresca, noting that big clubs often face internal conflicts when multiple voices clash.
Amorim's tenure included ruthless decisions, such as placing players in a 'bomb squad' and sanctioning Rashford's loan to Aston Villa last season, followed by another to Barcelona over the summer. Rashford, 28, has thrived at Barcelona with six goals and eight assists in 16 games and has expressed desire for a permanent transfer. However, reports indicate Barcelona is not considering triggering the option, and Manchester United is likely to recall him.
'I hope that Marcus comes back because he’s a special player,' Hargreaves added. 'I don’t know what happened between Marcus and Ruben, but I don’t think there’s any denying his talent.' He also hopes young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo can reintegrate, predicting a return under a back-four system.
Interim manager Darren Fletcher will lead United against Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday, with a permanent replacement, possibly Oliver Glasner or Thomas Tuchel, to be appointed in the summer.
