'Speak with the manager' -Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim 'emotional' as Marcus Rashford wishes for 'new challenge'

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On Tuesday evening, Marcus Rashford - in an interview after he was dropped for the club's 2-1 win at Manchester City on Sunday - said that he was "ready for a new challenge" beyond boyhood club Manchester United. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, manager Ruben Amorim said he is a "little bit emotional" over the situation, and hopes it will not detract from his side's focus.

'We are better with Rashford, that's simple' – Amorim on wantaway striker

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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said he is a "little bit emotional" over Marcus Rashford's potential Old Trafford exit.

Rashford said in an interview with Henry Winter on Tuesday evening that he was "ready for a new challenge".

That appeared to mean that the 27-year-old will be looking to leave the club either in the January transfer window or at the end of the season, though reports suggest he is not looking to force his way out of the club acrimoniously.

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Paris Saint-Germain are known to be long-term suitors of Rashford, and the Saudi Pro League could be one destination able to afford his wages.

Rashford's form at United has dipped since his excellent first season with Erik ten Hag, and in their second year together he was dropped for disciplinary reasons after a night out in Northern Ireland.

Rashford only signed a new contract last year, which runs until 2028, so United are in a position to demand a high valuation for the player, despite his recent underwhelming form.

He may be seen as an option to raise funds to meet profit and sustainability regulations, with his status as a homegrown player meaning any fee is counted as pure profit.

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Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Amorim expressed his sadness over the situation, though when asked what he would have done as a player if in a similar situation to the United forward, replied: "I would speak with the manager".

The former Sporting CP boss added: "It’s hard to explain what I am going to do. I’m a little bit emotional. I need to prepare for the game and then we will see. Let’s focus on the team, not individual players."

Amorim went on to explain the difficulty of managing the situation, maintaining that his side's focus on their upcoming matches remains of the utmost importance.

"It’s a hard situation to comment [on]," he said. "If I give a lot of importance, it will have big headlines in the papers and if I say it’s not a problem, then my standards are getting low. My focus is to not take the attention away from the game and the team and what we did in the last game."

The Portuguese coach conceded that he will be powerless if Rashford is set on a move away from the club, and wants his squad to be primed for the "new challenge" of getting United out of a "difficult situation".

"I don’t control that, what I can control is the way I see things to take my players to the games and the training," Amorim said. "The interview was [Tuesday]. I’m focused on Tottenham and my focus is to prepare the team for that game. Nothing has changed, we believe in Marcus.

"We have here a new challenge. It’s a tough one. For me, it’s the biggest challenge in football because we are in a difficult situation and I already said this is one of the biggest clubs in the world. I really hope all my players are ready for this new challenge."

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'I just talk about the present'

Amorim appeared keen for Rashford to stay at the club, and was focused on helping him find his best form.

He said: "I spoke with a lot of players individually and during training. What I want is to take the best of Marcus Rashford. I don't talk about the future, I just talk about the present. I want the best from each one of them.

"I just want to win and help the team be better. We are better with Marcus Rashford and it's that simple. We will try different things to push Rashford to the best levels that he has shown me in the past."

Asked directly if he wanted the forward to stay, he added: "Of course, because this kind of club needs big talents and he is a big talent. He just needs to perform at the highest level and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus."

Amorim left out Alejandro Garnacho and Rashford for the 2-1 win at Manchester City on Sunday, which led to increasing speculation over both players’ futures.

The Portuguese’s 3-4-3 system does not necessarily suit either player, and the coach said he has yet to decide if they will play on Thursday against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.

"We have one more training session, and they are in the same situation as the other players," he said. "If they train well, we have to make a choice."

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