After his shocking departure from Old Trafford, Manchester United will want to find a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, but Erik ten Hag may already have the ideal player to take Ronaldo's place right under his nose. Following his jaw-dropping interview with Piers Morgan, in which he slammed United during the course of the candid conversation, Ronaldo, who is 37 years old, has left the club for the second time. This decision comes after the interview.
After everything has calmed down, Ronaldo and his legacy need to be brought back into the spotlight. But for United and their manager, finding someone to fill his boots should be their top priority. However, he shouldn't look any further than the players he already has available to him.
Marcus Rashford, who graduated from the academy last year, has been rediscovering his form this year, as evidenced by his eight goals and three assists for the club team. He has also brought that form onto the international stage. Indeed, he was instrumental in England's victory over Wales in their World Cup matchup on Tuesday night, producing a devastating match-winning double for the Three Lions.
At the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, things went from good to great for Rashford after he scored a Ronaldo-like free kick right after the resumption of play. Rashford added a second goal and England's third goal to seal the victory for England. Fans have been raving about his play in Qatar, but the opinion of the experts is that Erik ten Hag is molding the England winger into a player who can compete at the highest level internationally.
In the days leading up to the match against Wales, former Manchester United striker Louis Saha made comparisons between Marcus Rashford and Kylian Mbappe, who plays for France and Paris Saint-Germain. He made the following statement: "I really like Marcus Rashford, and you know that he can be a starter. He possesses a great deal of ability and danger.
"Rashford is an enormously talented player, and it's a joy to watch him compete at this level. Rashford is my favorite player in the England squad because of his style, and I thoroughly enjoy watching him compete. Harry Kane is the best player, but Rashford is my favorite. When Marcus Rashford plays with the intensity of a tiger, he is unplayable and on par with Kylian Mbappe, who is a striker for France.
Gary Lineker, host of BBC Sport, appeared to agree with the comparison by comparing the United man to another modern sensation. He remarked, "What an about-face from Marcus Rashford."
This is the Rashford that is a threat, and he's dangerous. He came back this season and gradually got his way back into the Manchester United team. When he plays like this, he is going past players, beating players, and having attempts at goal. This may not always happen, but it does happen when he plays like this.
"[He's] a little bit similar to [Brazilian attacker] Vinicius Jr. in the sense that they are aware of the possibility that they will give the ball away. However, they acknowledge the talent and actively encourage the use of it.
Rashford could be showing that he is ready to step up and finally become the elite footballer he's always had the potential to be, and a real threat going forward for both club and country. While Ronaldo's are undoubtedly huge boots to fill, Rashford could be showing that he is ready to step up and finally become the elite footballer he's always had the potential to be.
