RASHFORD TO BARCELONA! Is This His LAST CHANCE?! | with Sancho to Juve & Garnacho's Future!

0:00Hi Podfans, Max Rushton here from the chart-topping Guardian Football Weekly Podcast. Don't like to crow. If you enjoyed the World Cup with us, you'll be glad to know we're back for the new Premier League season. Expect three episodes a week, questionable predictions and the biggest stories in soccer from the Premier League to the Champions League and beyond. Watch now on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

0:24The news has just broke around. Mr. Marcus Rashford, he is now going to be on loan for a season at Barcelona. And you know what? It's mad because I was out this morning and the news kind of was filtered out. Obviously, Fabrizio and a few others were mentioning it and talking about it. The WhatsApp groups are going nuts. And you look at it and you go, wow, Rashford now is going to go on loan for a season. Man United have got his wages off the wage bill.

0:54What's happened? A kid that's come through the academy has a desire to leave the football club. I saw Teddy Sheridan's comments the other day, and I thought it was a – I saw it, and I thought, actually, it's quite a powerful comment, that powerful sentence, because you work so hard as a kid. And Marcus Rashford, I know. I know his family. I know him from afar, so to speak, but through others as well. He'd worked so hard. I see him as a kid in his suit. He used to come in his school uniform. These kids work hard to get them through the academy. And the fact that he's come through and done all he's done, he's played 426 games.

1:38He's got 138 goals, 77 assists. And then he says he wants to leave. There must have been so much going on behind the scenes that we're just not aware of. And listen, Marcus isn't someone who really wants to talk and do interviews, so you have to respect that. But I'm sure it will come out in the wash at some point. But is it because of lack of form? lack of confidence, mismanagement? Have the club fouled him? Or is it down to him? Is there injuries you don't know about? Has he lost that desire? That form has gone and he can't rekindle it, he can't get it back. What are the issues that have led to a young kid, a graduate of the academy at Manchester United, which he's famous for, all the great players we know have come through there, that he then says he wants to leave?

2:32And, or is it just the managers come in and say, listen, not for me. Don't like this, that or the other. And I'm not having it. And I'm going to put a marker down with one of the biggest players at the club. And everyone will actually understand I'm the boss. And they're going to follow suit. So, there's a lot of unanswered questions here. But I think the only person that can really answer these questions and the only way he'd want to do it is Marcus Rashford on the pitch. That's all you want to see. You want to see him going out there, and I've said this so many times now, I want to see the smiling Marcus that was the...

3:06He represented all the fans in the stadium that were locals or supported the club. He got through. He'd come through the academy. He'd got in the team, scoring goals, smiling, the jubilation on his face. Every kid's dream that supports Manchester United wanted to be Marcus Rashford. It didn't matter where you were from, what colour you were, because there was a genuine... that's a bit of me there and then he's kind of just moved quite a distance from that unfortunately and I think he's just lost his way and again the detail as to what that is we'll find out in years to come I'm sure but right now it's down to Marcus I think listen again Teddy Shurnham said something quite

3:50something that I looked at and thought oh actually yeah you can say he doesn't deserve this chance but he's got it and now he's got to go and produce. Flick wanted him, Deco wanted him, he's the sporting director, their director of football. The manager Flick wanted him. The football club wanted him. I think their players will be going, if we can unlock this Marcus Rashford, the one that we knew four or five years ago, if that Marcus Rashford turns up here, we have got an absolutely massive, massive asset to this club. A weapon, another one. Where's he going to play? he's got a fight he's weighing this team by the way but listen a lot of people including myself didn't think this opportunity at Barcelona a club of that statue would be actually there for Marcus Rashford given what he's produced over the last two or three years he hasn't produced the Marcus Rashford that we first saw running in behind aggressive runs finishing things shooting from crazy angles that crazy shot he's got assisting goals etc and chances his game's changed to being a bit more of a wanting to dribble with a ball more.

4:56He could do that a bit before, but his main assets before, I'm telling you, and what made him hard to play against, that he was willing to run behind and the ball was coming. Now, he's kind of moved away from that. I want to see him get back to that. And I think that's the difference. He could be that difference for this Barcelona team that Rafinha doesn't mind running in behind, but he does like it to feet. Laminio would rather get it to feet and dribble. And Lewandowski is not someone who can actually run in behind as much anymore. He's more of a target man, number nine. Great finisher. So where he fits in will be not is he going to start, is what's the difference that he makes.

5:31That's going to be the important thing here. And I think if he hones in on that, I think Flick, the manager, will be wanting that as well. Give us something different that we've already got. And I think that difference can be his ability to run behind. And I think that he's magic at that when he gets that right and when he's consistent with that. So I want to see him do that. So he's got to break into this team. Rafinha on the left, Levin Dostky up front, Laminio on the right. He doesn't all actually start. He doesn't start in this team. But he could go in there and be a huge impact and then get games off the back of that impact.

6:08But he's got to go in and show it immediately. This is who I am. This is what I do to get grace, to get confidence from the other teammates. Because they will be remembering Marcus from four years ago. That's what players do. And they'll be wanting, oh, please let him come in. and be fit and be ready. I've seen his Instagram. He's been training all here by himself. So it's a different type of fitness, but he's not starting from zero, which is good. But I don't see this as that he's got, Marcus has got to go in there and displace anybody. He's got to go in there and add value to this team and take them from where they finished last season, where they won the league, got to the semis of the Champions League.

6:48And you go, can they go one better this season? Can he be a part of doing that? That's got to be the incentive for him. He's got the incentive for Marcus Rashford for his name to start ringing around Europe again, like it was. And I think he's got to go back to basics. And those basics are, again, I'm going to repeat it, Marcus Rashford has to go in there and do things that are different to the strikers and the attacking players they've got there, which is running off the ball behind defences. Be a threat behind defences. Make teams take a step back when Marcus Rashford is on the pitch. Shoot, because he's got a lethal shot with that right foot.

7:23Shift it, shoot. Do not be one of those who's trying to over-dribble and complicate it. Keep the game simple. One-twos, play into Lewandowski, run around the corner, etc. He's got that intelligence. We've seen that. If he simplifies his game in those three areas there and adds a work ethic off the ball to that, this will be a steal. This will be a steal for a season. but I've seen he's already said that he'd love to play with Jamal 18 years old Jamal's getting people wanting to play with him it's nuts

7:58oh by the way I've just thought there's a potential El Clasico if Marcus starts and Trent starts as well Trent at Madrid right back Rashford left wing for Barca El Clasico that will be sick I hope that happens man That would be lovely to see. But, yeah, these are all little subplots within what's going on. There's a lot of things we've got to click for Marcus to get to do well. And there's going to be people saying, did he do enough to get to Barcelona? It don't matter. He's there now. Let's think about what's happening now. Yeah, we can all say if, buts and maybes. He didn't deserve it. He's there.

8:38Go and produce. Go and deliver. So, listen, I'm one of those guys who's sitting there going, yes, it is a last chance for Marcus. He went to Villa. Villa didn't take up the£40m buy-up clause for whatever reason. Might have been too expensive. Did they have the cash to do it? He's got another opportunity now to go and cement himself at Barcelona and get a contract. I hope he does well, man. I really do. I wish him well. So, fingers crossed he can get his head down. Leaving Manchester and leaving the UK might just be the thing that unlocks Marcus Rashford also. so. So I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome.

9:19I'm looking forward to seeing if he does well, what's going to be the fee? What am I going to demand? Is it already in the contract? But as important as all that, I want to see a happy, smiling Marcus Rashford. So good luck. Right, man, we've got loads still to come right on this pod, but we'll be back shortly after this.

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11:01So what else have we got, Manus? That's the first one This could be, by the way, the catalyst for the other three or four players that are on the list. Malasia, Sancho, Garnaccio as well, and Anthony. There's four players there that we've been told that the manager wants out of the club. Sancho looks to be getting close to a deal with Juventus as well, which is great. So I'm looking forward to that happening. He needs to just play some football. I think the Italian league will suit James Sancho. It's not as physical. It's not as up and down. There isn't as much transitions like there are in the Premier League.

11:31And that physicality, I think, has been something that's probably gone against James in some senses. I think if he's in a team that can maintain good possession, if he's got runners around him, Jadon can be a threat. There's no doubt in my mind. According to reports in Italy, they're getting close. I think 25 million euros, which is about£21.6 million. So a four-year deal, they're saying. A lot of other people would say the same about Jadon. No, he's lucky to be getting a move to somewhere like Juventus. When you've shown potential, there's always going to be a manager out there that goes, you know what?

12:03I think I can unlock him. I think Jadon's one of those. He showed so many moments where you go, wow, that's high level. There's no doubting with Jadon. He's got ridiculous talent. But the same with Marcus Rashford. How long are we going to keep saying potential, potential? It needs to be unlocked. And there'll be people that will go, oh, he has been unlocked. We saw him at Dortmund last year. Yeah, but it's not consistent enough. We need consistency. If you're going to be a great, if you're going to be at the top table, If you're going to be looked at and people go, that's top elite level. It's not about skills.

12:39It's not about potential. It's about consistency of a high standard day in, day out of training, week in, week out in the matches. That's the only thing missing, I think, from these two guys. They're the things missing, that consistency. And how they unlock that, that's what they've got to do. That's what the brain's for. That's what the environment you're in, that's what the people you keep around you is for, to help unlock and unpick these situations, these little obstacles you have in your career, to get past it and get to the next level. And they've struggled in the last couple of years to find that consistency of eliteness that would enable them to stay at somewhere like Manchester United.

13:19Not that Manchester United are an elite club in terms of performance right now, but you still, again, if you're not being asked to stay at a club like Manchester United who are in their worst possible form we've ever seen in my lifetime. And that says something about where you're at as an individual as well. So I hope these guys go away and get it done. Ganaccio's another one. I've not seen much talk about Ganaccio. I've not seen much. We heard about Napoli a little bit and then that's gone quiet. Ganaccio's the one out of the lot who played last year, was still a threat, was still dangerous, has scored some goals and assisted goals and his output has been decent.

13:58For a kid of his age, his output has been very, very good. Could he be one that maybe there's still a glimmer of hope for him to apologise and get back in the squad? I don't know. Is that something that can be done? Listen, time will tell us that. But is there an apology that gets that relationship back together and going, right, buckle down, let's go for someone like Ganache. I don't know. I'd explore it if I was the club, I've got to be honest. Again, if it's a transfer you get for him, he's all profit and the club might be just looking at that. We need to get finances in. But the window, I think, is Kunio was quick.

14:42What I like to buy, that was quick and that was definitive. We got it done. The Emblemo deal took a long time, but we're finally there and we got it done. I think the Mbremo deal I think Man United in past years would have buckled and just give Brentford exactly what they wanted I think this one they didn't I think they stood firm and said listen we're not going to move we've got other targets and we'll go to them and we're willing to wait but we're not going to budge on the number I think before the old regime would have buckled and just said we'll give you what you want and paid over the odds like we have with numerous players over the years so I think yes it did take longer than we thought or expected or anticipated with Mbremo but it got done and I think it was nearer to the price that Man Utd wanted to pay rather than what Brentford were trying to ask for on demand.

15:26So in that sense, I'd say that's good. I think a striker, a number nine still got to come in. I won't be satisfied with the window no matter who comes in if there's not a number nine that comes through the door. I've got to be honest. I'm positive now. I'm seeing good signs. Cunha and Emblemo bring a lot of what I've been asking for the last three or four years in some of their attributes that they bring. But I still think a number nine needs to come in and help that area. You've got Zerkesy. You've got Hoyland who both struggled at times last year. You've got a young kid, Cheeto. So I think there needs to be someone in there who knows how to hit the back of the net.

16:02And we've seen it and it's prudent. So, yeah, man, let me know what your thoughts are, guys. Get in the comments. Stay tuned tomorrow, by the way, guys. We've got a Rio Meats. This is an exclusive one. This is a big one with one of my old teammates as well, by the way. So get in the comments. who do you think it's going to be guys but we sat down we discussed some old times reminiscing about our times at Man United together and what we got up to and the stuff we done off the pitch but also on the pitch so I'm sure you'll like it guys and again let us know keep subscribing keep telling friends and make sure you keep your notifications on guys see you soon thanks guys for listening to this episode of Rio Reacts hope you've enjoyed the show and if you have make sure you leave us a review and follow this Rio Ferdinand Presents feed to make sure you never, ever miss an episode.

16:48If you've got a point you think we should be discussing, I want to put us on the spot with a question you want answering. Get in touch using the fans first at rioferdinandpresents.com email address or use hashtag RFP on social. See you on the next one.

17:06Hi, pod fans. Max Rushton here from the Chart Topping Guardian Football Weekly Podcast. Don't like to crow. If you enjoyed the World Cup with us, you'll be glad to know we're back for the new Premier League season and expect three episodes a week, questionable predictions and the biggest stories in soccer from the Premier League to the Champions League and beyond. Watch now on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.