Marcus Rashford was being compared to Kylian Mbappe not long ago.
Rashford and Mbappe were regarded as Europe's brightest stars, certain to follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and compete for the Ballon d'Or on an annual basis. However, while one of these stars continues to shine brightly and appears to be on his way to a dream move to Real Madrid this summer, the other has faded almost as quickly as he burst onto the footballing world.
His stock has plummeted to the point that he's been left out of England's newest squad, can't get into the United lineup, and found himself rowing with heckling fans as he exited Old Trafford after yet another defeat earlier this week.
Rashford, like Mbappe, might leave Manchester United at the conclusion of the season, but he won't be joining a club with the clout of Real. The unsettled Manchester United winger is now damaged goods, and based on his current play, he may be surprised to learn that if he becomes available, other clubs will not rush to sign him.
According to reports, Rashford is evaluating his United future, but who is he to decide if and when he's had enough of playing for one of the world's most prestigious clubs? Rashford shouldn't be making this decision since he's been so mediocre for so long that he hasn't contributed enough in the last two seasons.
Despite this, United have a busy summer ahead of them, and Rashford must be a part of it. If he decides to leave, whoever the new boss is should inform him that he is free to do so.
A strong attitude like this would send a strong message to the rest of the United team. The message is correct. It would jolt them out of their complacency, which has reduced United to a humiliating ghost of their former self. The future manager will have to make some difficult decisions. He must have the audacity to send a rocket through the team.
When Sir Alex Ferguson arrived at Old Trafford in 1986, he accomplished exactly that. On his never-ending quest to make United the biggest and best in the world, he dumped players like Norman Whiteside and Paul McGrath and continued to sacrifice more major names for the benefit of the team.
Just ask Jaap Stam, David Beckham, and Roy Keane, to name a few. So, who is to blame for the untimely death of one of England's most talented and beloved sons? There's no denying that a succession of managers, most notably Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, have overplayed and undercoached Rashford. It has hampered his advancement.
Is it possible that Rashford needs to reconsider his priorities and accept that his constant devotion to varied, noble causes have made him a better human being but not a better footballer? Rashford needs to concentrate on his day job, which provided him with the platform to effect so much change elsewhere in the first place.
The bottom line is that he is a professional footballer who is compensated handsomely for his services. But right now, he appears lost, bewildered, and distracted, as if the game he's supposed to enjoy has become a work for him. He's a lot better than this, but something has to happen before we can talk about the latest great hope who didn't live up to his immense potential.
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