Marcus Rashford is ‘miles off the player he was two years ago’, claims Alan Shearer – as he admits he’s been left BAFFLED by Man United star’s struggles, with forward available for £40m in January

Alan Shearer has opened up on Man United‘s potential January firesale and admitted he’s been left confused by Marcus Rashford’s dramatic dip in form.

Mail Sport reported earlier this week how United are under pressure to sell players to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR), while they also need to raise funds for new head coach Ruben Amorim to strengthen his squad. 

The club are open to offers for more than half of their squad but given that selling homegrown players counts as 100 per cent profit on the PSR balance sheet, the spotlight has fallen on Rashford who has been at the club since the age of seven.

The 27-year-old has endured a difficult few seasons since netting 30 times in Erik ten Hag‘s debut campaign, with Mail Sport revealing how the club would countenance offers of £40million for the forward.

It’s understood his asking price would have been as much as £100m a few years ago, but Rashford’s loss of form, plus the contract he signed last year worth a prohibitive £325,000-a-week means that his value has more than halved.

Rashford netted just eight times last season, while he has scored four Premier League goals this time around and struggled to nail down a regular place since Amorim came in.

Rashford scored 30 times during the 2022-23 season, but has struggled to replicate that since

Shearer reflected on the forward’s struggles and said he was ‘miles off the player’ he was

And Betfair ambassador Shearer reflected on Rashford’s struggles – which have also seen him lose his England place – and admitted that he has suffered a dramatic dip.

‘I’m not inside the dressing room and I don’t know his personality or attitude,’ he exclusively told Mail Sport, speaking on behalf of Betfair.

‘But what I do know is he’s miles off the player that we saw two to three years ago and I don’t know what the reason is for that.

‘I don’t know whether he’s enjoying it or not enjoying it. Or whether he’s had enough or if he wants to carry on.

‘And I don’t know what his lifestyle is like either so there are many factors to maybe why we’re not seeing the best of him.’

Rashford’s campaign last year was marred by disciplinary issues, which has added to the discussion surrounding his struggles.

For example, Rashford was heavily criticised in November 2023 when he went to a nightclub following United’s 3-0 derby defeat by Man City, while he received further criticism after calling in sick for training having embarked on a 12-hour ‘tequila-fuelled bender’ in Belfast in January.

And Shearer felt that those actions, coupled with his struggle for form, meant that it was now or never for the 27-year-old to get back to his best and ensure he continued to be a part of United’s plans.

United are said to be open to shifting Rashford in order to help with their FFP considerations

He has scored 138 goals for United since breaking into the team as an 18-year-old in 2016

Rashford has also been out of the England picture having not made a squad since March

‘If he doesn’t improve under this manager then he can’t complain if he were for sale and they were to get rid of him,’ he added.

Meanwhile, the reports of the potential firesale come with United struggling to comply with PSR rules after posting losses of £300m over the last three years.

After spending another £200m on transfers in the summer, they did not budge on having to pay out a reported £25.6m in compensation to sack Ten Hag and hire Amorim.

Another option would be for United to sell either of their two crown jewels – Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho – but that is something the club want to avoid.

Otherwise, United would entertain offers for most of their squad at the right price, with an insider saying on Wednesday: ‘The reality is that everyone is for sale.’

United are keen to keep hold of a number of stars who have flourished under Amorim such as Amad Diallo, Matthijs de Ligt, Bruno Fernandes, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte.

Diallo will be a free agent in the summer and can talk to foreign clubs from the start of January, but United are hopeful he will sign a new contract.

Others are more readily available but will be difficult to sell even at vastly reduced prices, such as Antony – now valued at around £23m – Casemiro who earns £375,000-a-week, and Mason Mount and Luke Shaw who have both struggled with long-term injuries.

A number of players will be out of contract in the summer including Christian Eriksen, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton. They have little resale value unless, in the case of Maguire, United trigger a 12-month extension.

United and Rashford return to action on Sunday afternoon when they travel to arch-rivals Man City for an eagerly anticipated Manchester derby.

Don’t miss Alan Shearer vs Rachael Blackmore in Betfair’s Christmas Quizzing… Only Bettor, streamed live on Friday, 20th December.