Ryan Giggs baffled at Manchester United star who’s ‘not the same’ as when he coached him

Ryan Giggs has admitted that he feels Marcus Rashford is no longer the same player he coached while he was part of Manchester United’s coaching staff at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford has joined Aston Villa on a six-month loan, looking for a fresh challenge away from Manchester United.

Once the focal point of United’s attack, Rashford enjoyed a prolific 30-goal season under Erik ten Hag in 2022/23. However, his form has since dipped, and he struggled for game time under Rúben Amorim.

With Amad and Bruno Fernandes now key figures in United’s setup, Rashford had not featured for over six weeks before securing his move to Villa Park.

A graduate of United’s academy, he announced himself with a dream debut at 18, scoring twice against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League before netting another brace against Arsenal in the Premier League.

Since then, he has made over 420 appearances for the club, scoring 138 goals and providing 63 assists while winning five major trophies. He debuted for Villa on the weekend, playing 32 minutes as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup.

Giggs hands his verdict on Rashford

Speaking with the Daily Mail, former United winger Ryan Giggs has had his say on Rashford, explaining he is a little baffled that the English winger is no longer the same player he coached.

Giggs was part of United’s first-team coaching staff when Rashford made his debut under Louis van Gaal.

“Everyone will remember that smile and that enjoyment and freedom when he first came through – but he doesn’t look like that now,” the 51-year-old explained.

“He’s a human being and he just doesn’t look happy. He looks like he’s got the world on his shoulders. He needs to play with that freedom and enjoyment that got him to where he is now.”

He continued: “United need young players coming through, one of their own and it just felt that he was the next one.

“But for whatever reason, he’s had a decent career but he’s never gone on to be what I thought he would be.

“More so than anything, he’s a human being and he just doesn’t look happy. He looks like he’s got the world on his shoulders.

“And I don’t know why, because the lad who I saw and who I coached didn’t have the world on his shoulders. He just played with freedom, he loved the club and was a great lad, but he just doesn’t look it now.”

Why Rashford needs a fresh start

For all of what Giggs has said, the simple explanation is that Rashford has had to endure playing for United during one of the toughest periods in recent history while being the poster boy for the club.

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Consistent managerial changes and poor decisions from club owners have left United in dire straights, and Rashford’s own injuries have hampered the initial abilities that Giggs referred to.

The best choice for Rashford to restart his career is to find a fresh start, be that as Aston Villa or at a new club away from England, as it would allow him to recalibrate as he enters the prime years of his career.

There have been many reports stating that the player’s ideal move would have been to Barcelona, but the La Liga loan did not pan out as the Catalan club did not have the facilities to pay his wages.

Aston Villa are paying 75% of Rashford’s salary, and this could increase to 90% based on his performances. They also have the option to purchase him from United for £40 million in the summer.

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