‘No Man’s land’ - Rashford slams Manchester United’s approach after loan move to Barcelona

Marcus Rashford has criticised Manchester United’s lack of long-term vision, claiming the club’s constant managerial changes have left them drifting without direction.

The 27-year-old forward, who rose through United’s academy and made over 420 appearances for the club, left Old Trafford in January for a loan stint at Aston Villa before sealing a temporary move to Barcelona in the summer.

His deal with the Spanish champions includes a reported €35 million (£30m) option to buy, making it increasingly likely he has played his final game in a United shirt.

Reflecting on United’s struggles, Rashford pointed to the instability that has followed Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

Since then, the Red Devils have gone through six permanent managers and endured their worst league finish since 1974, ending last season in 15th place and missing out on European football.

“We’ve been far from the standards expected at Manchester United,” Rashford told The Rest Is Football podcast.

He continued, “But when you take a step back, especially in the past six months, you start to ask, what did we expect? We’ve had so many managers, so many different ideas, that you end up stuck in no man’s land.”

The England international compared United’s situation to Liverpool’s revival under Jürgen Klopp.

“When Liverpool were rebuilding, they brought in Klopp and backed him even when he wasn’t winning straight away. People only remember the trophies, but it started with a plan they stuck to. That’s what United have been missing,” he said.

He added, “When Sir Alex was in charge, there were principles that ran through the whole club, from the first team to the academy. Any player or coach coming in had to fit into that philosophy. Now, at times, we’ve been hungry to win, but it’s been reactionary. If your direction keeps changing, you can’t expect to win the league.”

Rashford, who scored 138 goals and won two FA Cups and two League Cups during his time at Old Trafford.