Nicky Butt agrees with Rúben Amorim’s controversial Man Utd decision, but admits something else is “not nice to hear”

Legendary Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has agreed with a controversial decision taken by Rúben Amorim but admits that there is something he feels is “not nice” to see.

Rúben Amorim’s opening few months as head coach of Manchester United has been the most turbulent introduction into English football that has been undertaken by a manager in recent history.

The 40-year-old has had to deal with a dysfunctional team on the pitch, with multiple off-field problems dominating headlines.

In the last year, United’s football operations have been taken over by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS company, with a host of boardroom changes causing destabilisation at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Amorim has had to try and pull the team up from 13th in the Premier League table, with winning the Europa League a huge weight on his shoulders with respect to Champions League qualification for next season.

Butt agrees with controversial Amorim decision

One big call Amorim made early into his reign at Old Trafford was to exclude Marcus Rashford from his first-team set-up after he deemed the player as one who does not work hard enough in training.

Although the England international continued to be part of training, he was selected for only one of United’s final ten matchday squads before his departure on loan to Aston Villa for the remainder of the season.

With United continuing to misfire in attack, many see the Rashford axe as a controversial decision, but United legend Nicky Butt feels it was the right call.

“I think it was the right thing for him to go,” Butt said, speaking at the inaugural Champions for Children Gala Dinner earlier this week. “He wasn’t looking happy playing football here. I’ve known Marcus since he was 9 or 10, and it was sad to see him struggling on the pitch. 

“That happens with so many people when they get into a little bit of quicksand and they can’t get out of it. Villa are an amazing club and he’s got his England call-up again which will be a massive boost for him. I’d like to see him back in a Man United shirt but who knows?”

A transfer rumour that’s “not nice to hear”

However, Butt went on to talk about the current rumours about Kobbie Mainoo and a potential exit from United this summer, with the 19-year-old Academy graduate so far failing to agree a new contract with the club.

Read More: “Already talking…” – Chelsea’s final plan for Jadon Sancho revealed, Man Utd receive transfer nightmare verdict

“It’s not nice to hear that Kobbie might be leaving because of FFP or whatever they want to call it, but it’s been wrongly run for so many years financially that now the people in charge are going to have to deal with that,” Butt explained.

“What’s happening now is a sad effect of what’s been going on for the last 10-12 years. 

“If you don’t get your house in order early doors and you start letting the money just burn away, then that’s what happens.”

Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is released every Wednesday at 6 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.