Marcus Rashford reveals why he didn't continue at Manchester United and joined Barcelona

Marcus Rashford has criticised Manchester United’s lack of long-term vision, saying the club’s constant managerial changes have left it “in no man’s land.” The 27-year-old forward, who came through United’s academy and made 426 appearances for the club, joined Barcelona on loan after spending the second half of last season at Aston Villa.

United endured a disastrous campaign, finishing 15th in the Premier League, which was their worst since 1973/74, and also missed out on European football.

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Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Rashford said United’s instability stems from having six different managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. “We have been way below where we deem United to be but then if you take a step back, which I've been able to do, especially over these last six months, what do you expect?” Rashford said.

“When Liverpool went through this, they got (Jurgen) Klopp, they stuck with him. They didn't win in the beginning. People only remember his final few years when he was competing with (Manchester) City and winning the biggest trophies. “To start a transition, you have to make a plan and stick to it. It's not easy to do. But this is where I speak about being realistic with what your situation is. We've had that many different managers, different ideas and different strategies to win that you end up in no man's land.”

Rashford, who scored 138 goals and won two FA Cups and two League Cups for United, believes the club’s identity has eroded since Ferguson’s era. “When Ferguson was in charge, not only were there principles for the first team but they were for the whole academy,” he said. “If your direction is always changing, you can't expect to win the league.”

His Barcelona loan includes an option to buy for €35 million at the end of his loan spell. Fans will look on with great interest as to how the Englishman will evolve under Hansi Flick in a young and experimental Barcelona team.