Marcus Rashford issues heartfelt message amid commitment concerns at Manchester United

Marcus Rashford, who has been the subject of attention at Manchester United, for mostly reasons off the field in recent months, has come under scrutiny and has been questioned for his commitment towards the club.

The English striker has struggled for form this season, scoring just five goals in 32 matches in all competitions, a stark contrast to his career-best season last term, when he amassed 30 goals in 56 outings for the Red Devils.

Club’s new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is contemplating a ‘clearout’ this summer and Rashford may be on the list and could be potentially heading for the exit doors.

In the meantime, Rashford has delivered a heartfelt message, asserting his unwavering commitment to the club.

The forward faced huge criticism as he was spotted in a Belfast nightclub during the late hours of the night last month and called in sick for the training session the following morning.

He was axed for the FA Cup tie at Newport as reports emerged of a fallout with manager Erik ten Hag, putting his future at Old Trafford into uncertainty.

The 26-year-old aiming to quell doubts about his dedication to the club, emphasized his deep-rooted connection with United in his latest statement.

He wrote for The Players' Tribune:

"If you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up. It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man. I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge."

"People will actually think I’m weird when I start talking about what United means to me. You have to understand, when I was young, playing for United was everything. It was out of reach for us. It was hard to get there, and even harder to stay there."

Rashford highlighted on the atmosphere at The Theatre of Dreams and reminisced about his childhood days in the academy, citing the intangible value of dreams and loyalty over financial considerations.

"To me, just being there [Old Trafford] was like… It was everything. We used to stay until everyone had gone, and the stadium was nearly empty, just looking around and listening. Old Trafford really has this sound to it. For a kid who moved around a lot, it’s always felt like my home,"

- continued the Englishman

"Money is great. It’s a blessing. But dreams are priceless. For me, even at 11 years old, playing for United was my only goal. I remember around that time, when I was still trying to get signed, Wazza [Rooney] and Cristiano[Ronaldo] came by to do something with all the academy lads, and I was just looking at them in awe."

He reassured of his responsibility towards United and the fans and further asked for empathy from the media platforms before surfacing false allegations.

"Every time I walk out onto the pitch and I hear the fans singing my name, or I look around Old Trafford before kickoff, I feel that same positive energy. Deep down, when I look around before every kickoff, I’m still a fan. I can’t get that out of my blood."

"I can take any criticism. I can take any headline. From podcasts, social media and the papers. I can take it. But if you start questioning my commitment to this club and my love for football and bringing my family into it, then I’d simply ask you to have a bit more humanity."

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