Man Utd winger ‘a wasted talent’ as INEOS rebuked for handing Michael Carrick ‘bang average’ option
Troy Deeney has outlined the problem that Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is facing with Marcus Rashford, with fellow talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan criticising the Red Devils’ co-owners, INEOS, for not getting rid of the England international winger in the summer transfer window.
Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona and helped the Catalan giants win LaLiga.
The England international winger wanted to stay at Barcelona, who had an option to make his loan deal permanent for just £26million in the summer transfer window.
Barcelona decided against triggering that option, but they signed wingers Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon instead.
Man Utd co-owners INEOS decided to bring Rashford back into the first-team fold under manager Carrick, who guided the Red Devils to a third-placed finish in the Premier League table last season.
The 28-year-old winger has made six appearances for Man Utd so far this season.
Rashford has made four starts in the Premier League for the Red Devils, including against Fulham in the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage in London in the Premier League at the weekend.
Benjamin Sesko, the only recognised senior number nine in the Man Utd squad, missed the game due to injury.
That led Rashford to start on the left wing, Bruno Fernandes as the number 10, Bryan Mbeumo on the left wing and Matheus Cunha as the centre-forward.
Former Watford striker Deeney has not been impressed with Rashford, and neither has ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan, who believes that Man Utd should have offloaded him for good.
DON’T MISS: Man Utd make decision on sacking Michael Carrick as Antonio Conte truths revealed
Troy Deeney and Simon Jordan slam Man Utd winger Marcus Rashford
Deeney said on talkSPORT (10:09am, September 21, 2026): “I will make it sound like it’s a Marcus Rashford thing, but you had something that worked, with Cunha, Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes, and it’s just that number 9 that’s an issue.
“Since Marcus Rashford has been, since the second half of the whole game, when he brings him on, Sesko’s out and now you are messing with the thing that was working to appease Marcus Rashford, who, by the way, has been bang average.
“And everyone keeps trying to tell me he has been good.
“He has been bang average – no goals, no assists.
“You are messing with something that was already working.
“So, when I look at Man Utd, I think there’s part of the problem is that you have gone back to the cycle again.
“Rashford wasn’t in your plans.
“Unfortunately, you didn’t get the deal done, he is still in it, and now you are shoehorning him into play him fit.
“But with that, you lose Cunha on the left-hand side, causing his best work.”
Jordan said: “I am with Troy on the Rashford argument.
“I have got no issue with Marcus.
“I think he is a wasted talent, and I think he has shown himself.
“I think he has shown himself with his pathetic podcast he did a couple of years ago that worries me.
“And he has shown himself not being valuable to Barcelona, so why Man Utd need him back, I don’t know.
“I think they should have made a decision – either bought him out of his contract or let him go on a discounted deal and helped his wages along the way, just to clear the decks and give people the opportunity to build forward rather than having to go back.”
READ NEXT: Arsenal role in JJ Gabriel Man Utd exit demand emerges
