Jaap Stam shares why Marcus Rashford cannot be considered Manchester United legend as he delivers bold verdict

Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has revealed why he thinks Marcus Rashford cannot be considered a legend of the club. The Englishman is thriving on loan at Aston Villa, having moved to the Midlands in the winter after spending time exiled from the squad by Ruben Amorim.

Rashford came through the Manchester United academy and made waves as a teenager in his debut campaign, earning comparisons to club greats. The forward spent the best part of the last decade as a key player for the Red Devils before leaving the club temporarily two months ago.

Speaking with Makthavare.se, former defensive strongman Stam pointed out that despite his connections to the club, Marcus Rashford cannot be considered a legend. He expressed his disappointment at the forward being away from the club, pointing out that he has left too soon to be considered a legend.

"It's sad to see Marcus Rashford in an Aston Villa shirt because I thought he would be a very important player for Manchester United and stay for a very long time. For me, he cannot be considered a legend at Manchester United, I think he left too soon to be considered as one," Stam said via Tribal Football.

"When you look at all his seasons at the club and for how many he performed at his best, he had one season under Erik ten Hag in which they changed the style of play and he scored a lot of goals and was a danger to every defence he faced. He got a new contract and everybody expected his form to carry on, but to be considered a true United legend you have to show that form for seven, eight or nine seasons. That is the level you need to reach to be considered a legend," he added.

Marcus Rashford recorded his best-ever season under Erik ten Hag in the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 30 goals and helping the side win the Carabao Cup, their first trophy in six years. The Englishman suffered a severe dip afterwards and struggled in subsequent seasons before leaving for Aston Villa.

The move to Aston Villa appears to be working out well for Rashford, as he regained his place in the English national team. He has also scored two goals and provided four assists for the club, and a return to Manchester United looks very unlikely.

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Manchester United coach shuts down Bruno exit rumours

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has revealed that there is no chance that captain Bruno Fernandes will leave the club in the summer. The midfielder has been linked with an exit, with Real Madrid among the clubs said to be interested in him.

Amorim spoke with the press ahead of his side's league meeting with Nottingham Forest, pointing out that Fernandes will remain at the club. He revealed that he already spoke with the Portugal international, telling him that he wants him to remain as the backbone of the team as they hope to challenge for the league title soon.

"It's not going to happen. That is the challenge. I want Bruno here. We want to win the Premier League again, we want the best players with us. He's still so young because he plays 55 games every season. Between assists and goals, he's there for 30 at least. He's the player we want here, he's not going anywhere," Amorim said via Sky Sports.

"We are in control of the situation. I feel that he's really happy here. He understands what we want to do. He's one more supporter of Manchester United, he really feels it. Sometimes the frustration that you and everybody sees, and says: 'it's not a good thing for the captain' - it's a sign that he wants it so bad. This is the kind of player we want. He's not going anywhere - because I already told him," he added.

Bruno Fernandes has been in sensational form for the Red Devils in recent weeks, scoring seven times and providing three assists in his last seven appearances. The 30-year-old turned down an opportunity to leave the club last summer and will look to continue his career at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future.