‘You’re a baby’ – Troy Deeney slates Marcus Rashford but insists he’s perfect for Premier League rival

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Marcus Rashford showed he will ‘struggle with the expectation’ of Ruben Amorim during Manchester United’s defeat at Arsenal.

That’s the view of former Premier League striker Troy Deeney, who worries the former England star will regret not making the most of his talent in years to come.

Rashford has been on Man United’s books since he was seven.

But now, at 27 years old, he’s struggling to replicate the promising form he once showed, leading him to be linked with an exit.

Former Watford striker Deeney joined talkSPORT Drive on Wednesday, and he believes Rashford has been allowed to under perform at Old Trafford.

Asked what he thinks has gone wrong for him, Deeney said: “Without being nasty I think he’s developed a level of superstar which, because Man United have been so bad over recent years, he’s benefited from that.

“From contracts and playing, especially at the start of the season. He was playing and he was awful.

“But he kept playing, and they would take off [Alejandro] Garnacho, take off [Amad] Diallo, whoever it was.

“I just think he’s developed a level of superstar-ness when he probably hasn’t earned it, if I’m being totally honest with you.”

The Red Devils are keen to keep young stars Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo, and Garnacho, but are open to offers for virtually every other player to help stay on the right side of PSR rules.

talkSPORT understands this includes England forward Rashford, who has previously been linked with Paris Saint Germain.

Being a home grown player, he would represent 100 per cent profit on the club’s books.

A deal of that magnitude is unlikely to be be done in January.

But the Red Devils are willing to consider selling their £300,000-a-week academy poster boy after several months of poor performances and concerns over his off-field lifestyle.

When asked by host Andy Goldstein if a player can become lazy and maybe lose interest in a club if he’s signed a new deal and he’s earning copious amounts of money, Deeney said: “I don’t think it’s about whether he can become lazy.

“It’s what you’re allowing him to get away with. And I think, I said this a couple of weeks ago when the new manager came in, I think Marcus will struggle because of the standard that’s expected.

“And then obviously he scored back-to-back games and against Arsenal he dropped him.”

Rashford began the campaign in Erik ten Hag’s starting XI, but his minutes have dipped since his sacking in October and the arrival of new manager Ruben Amorim.

Despite scoring in Amorim’s first game against Ipswich and then bagging a brace against Everton, Rashford was benched for the following mid-week 2-0 loss to Arsenal.

He then came on as a substitute in the 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest for Garnacho on the hour mark, and came close to netting a late equaliser, only for his effort to be blocked and go out for a corner.

At the time of writing, Rashford has scored four times and grabbed one assist in the league in 15 games this season.

But Deeney says his attitude at the Emirates showed exactly why he hasn’t been effective on the pitch.

“I was at the Arsenal game,” Deeney continued. “When he came on, there was no point bringing him on. It was an embarrassment when he came on.

“Walking around, tried to hit a massive dive, kicked it off the pitch, and then when all the players went over to the fans to clap, he was stood at the back, he was first one off, and I just thought, you’re a baby.

“You’re a baby. What is he, 27 now? Meant to be at the peak of your powers. Obviously the financials are taken care of now. Who are you as a person? What do you stand for?

“And my worry, genuine worry for Marcus is, when this is all said and done, that he’s going to regret not maximising it because that’s hard to live with.

“You know, for me personally, I had an okay career, I did really good. But from where I’m from, to where I got to, it’s, I’m good with that.

“I squeezed every part of the orange, do you get what I mean?”

Asked whether it may be the people around him that are damaging him, Deeney insisted the blame laid on Rashford’s shoulders.

“No, ultimately it all falls on him,” he said. “And I’m just disappointed, because I think he could have been a world-beater. I genuinely do.

“I think he could have been someone that played for England on a regular basis. He could have scored loads of goals. He could have been an absolute shining star for Man United for many years and go down as a club legend.

“And I think what’s going to happen is he’s going to tarnish that, and he’s going to ultimately end up like someone like Jesse Lingard. That was like, what if? What if he had, you know, applied himself?

“I think he’s lost interest with media as well.”

Rashford now has over three years left on his current Man United deal, but he could leave the club he’s spent his entire career sooner than that.

Asked where he thinks the forward could end up, Deeney said: “Nastily, he would probably suit Spurs, because there is no expectation on Spurs.

“The players that go there, they’re not expected to win the league, are they?”