Marcus Rashford and Man Utd told to 'sort themselves out' as Alan Shearer explains why January transfer will be 'very difficult' for Red Devils outcast

Rashford’s situation at United has taken a troubling turn, with the England international excluded from coach Ruben Amorim's squad for three of their last four matches. Amid this turmoil, Rashford expressed his desire for a “new challenge,” with his future at Old Trafford appearing increasingly uncertain. Amorim has confirmed that Rashford will also miss United’s upcoming Premier League clash against table-toppers Liverpool, citing illness as the latest reason for his absence.

Former England captain Alan Shearer has offered his perspective on Rashford’s struggles and he believes that his slump is a phase that can only be overcome with dedication and a positive mindset.

Speaking to Betfair, Shearer said: "For Rashford, hard work and the correct attitude will see him get back to his best. I don’t know what’s gone on, but something must have happened for him to do that interview and say that it’s best for him to leave Old Trafford. You can’t just flick a switch and get back to your best form, we all have difficult periods where you might not be playing or can’t find the back of the net. There’s only one way to get through that; and that’s to get your head down, work hard and then things should change for the better. I think that it’s too early to talk about his England career - he needs to sort himself out and the club needs to sort themselves out as well.

"I don’t think that he can afford yet to be looking at an England career, which has gone pretty stale. He hasn’t been picked for such a long time now, and he hasn’t been playing recently, so I don’t think that anyone can entertain any England talk yet with him."

Reports suggest United may propose a swap deal to acquire Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray, in exchange for Rashford. With a release clause of £62 million ($77m), Osimhen would be an expensive addition, but United hope to reduce the financial burden by including Rashford in the negotiation.

Shearer, however, remains sceptical as he believes that such a transaction will be highly complex and challenging to execute in the January window.

"There have been reports about a swap deal with Napoli for Rashford with Victor Osimhen going to Old Trafford. We’ve seen other players go to Serie A and get their careers going. However, I think that where Marcus is concerned, he’d have to look at every option - to see whether one fits or suits him, as well as Manchester United, which is perhaps the bigger consideration," he said.

"Whether that can be done in the next month or so, or whether he’s going to try and force his way back into the Man Utd starting eleven, I don’t know. I do get the idea that it would be very difficult to get a deal done, because of all the different angles and parties involved with the deal. I do think that it will be difficult to get a deal done this January, regardless of a loan or a permanent deal. It's a really difficult transfer to do. There’s a lot to do and so many aspects to a transfer. First of all, it’s about agreeing on a fee, secondly, agreeing to a salary - he’s on a huge wage right now at Man Utd and I’d be amazed if somebody in the Premier League would be willing to match that."

The January transfer window offers an opportunity for resolution, but time is limited. Whether United decide to sell, swap, or retain Rashford, a decision needs to be made to avoid further distractions. Until then, Amorim’s primary focus must be on addressing United’s on-field issues as the team has gone four matches without a victory and faces the daunting task of taking on league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.