'Hard situation' - Ruben Amorim speaks out on Marcus Rashford saga and says Man Utd star has 'a lot of people' around him 'making choices'

Rashford sparked anger among United fans when he gave an interview confirming that he is ready to leave the club, with the Red Devils said to be desperate to sell him in January amid his disappointing form over the last 18 months.

The England international has been left out of the squad for United's last three games as Amorim warned Rashford he should speak to the new manager instead of making such public declarations. Now, the Portuguese boss has admitted that Rashford is not fully to blame for such decisions as he reiterated his desire to get the best out of the 27-year-old.

"It is a hard situation. I understand that these players have a lot of people around them, making choices that are not the first idea from the player," he told Sky Sports. "I am always here to help Marcus as another player. I have to do what I have to do. They chose to do the interview as it is not just Marcus. I understand that. As a coach I focus on performance and the way you train. The rest, it is better for me and the club to deal with that when the time comes. At the moment I focus on improving Marcus and we need a talented guy like Marcus. I forget the interview now and see what I see on the pitch."

The United academy product will hope to claw his way back into Amorim's squad for their clash against struggling Wolves on December 26. Even if he does make the cut, he may still push for a January exit.