Published on 28.02.2024
Marcus Rashford and Erik ten Hag are reportedly not communicating well with each other after the incident involving Rashford’s trip to Belfast last month.
The 26-year-old footballer traveled to Northern Ireland during his day off to visit a former teammate. However, it was later revealed that Rashford had engaged in a heavy drinking session during his visit. As a result, he failed to attend training and was subsequently left out of the team for an FA Cup match against Newport County.
The Sun reports that Erik ten Hag and Marcus Rashford are barely on speaking terms with pressure mounting on the Manchester United boss
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 27, 2024pic.twitter.com/6WKpBIPDRq
Rashford received a fine equivalent to two weeks’ wages for his actions but was allowed back into the team for their next game against Wolves as he took responsibility for what happened. Despite this, Ten Hag and Rashford have apparently been at odds with each other ever since.
According to The Sun, there is very little communication between the two individuals following the incident. Ten Hag believes that Rashford attempted to deceive him by calling in sick instead of being honest about his whereabouts during his unauthorized absence from training. This has led Ten Hag to be extremely angry with Rashford, resulting in a private meeting where he expressed his disappointment and sought an explanation from the player.
The strained relationship between Marcus Rashford and Erik ten Hag highlights the impact of this incident on their professional dynamic. It remains unclear how long it will take for trust and effective communication between them to be re-established after such an eventful episode.
Erik ten Hag insists he does not care about the speculation around his future at Man Utd
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 28, 2024pic.twitter.com/IalrABp9th
The report details that some members of the staff are expressing concerns about the deteriorating relationship between Ten Hag and Rashford. The pressure on both individuals continues to increase. Rashford, who had an impressive 2022/23 season with 30 goals, signed a lucrative contract in the summer but has been extremely disappointing this term.
Ten Hag experienced United’s worst start to a season in decades and will only have one year left on his current contract by summer. It remains uncertain whether new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will decide to keep him for the long term.
Recent speculations suggest that Ineos, now in control of sporting operations at the club, might choose to replace Ten Hag with a new coach to lead the team.
