Rashford unlikely to play for Manchester United again even if Amorim goes

Marcus Rashford is extremely unlikely to play competitively for Manchester United again even if Ruben Amorim is no longer the head coach, with the relationship between the forward and his boyhood club near irreparable.

Rashford joined Aston Villa on loan on Sunday for the rest of the season and the 27-year-old is expected to depart again in the summer, permanently or on loan, even if Amorim is no longer there. The England international has a contract to 2028.

There remains an outside possibility that Rashford could play again for United in pre-season, should Amorim have departed. Last summer Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag, Amorim’s predecessor, reached a rapprochement after their fallout, which led to Sancho playing in warm-up games. Sancho then joined Chelsea on a season’s loan.

Amorim denied it would be embarrassing for United should Rashford prove prolific for Villa, and it is understood there is no call-back clause in the loan to cover for this eventuality.

United are not expected to move for defensive cover on deadline day regardless of the seriousness of Lisandro Martínez injury, sustained in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace. Amorim has the centre-backs Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Victor Lindelöf, Jonny Evans and Ayden Heaven, and Noussair Mazraoui, Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw can also play in a back three. Amorim has expressed concern that Martínez’s injury is serious but the club do not expect clarity on Monday.

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Chelsea retain an interest in Alejandro Garnacho but it is unlikely the United winger will leave on Monday. United’s interest in Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku is also thought unlikely to lead to a move.

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