Marcus Rashford and Man United on transfer collision course as January solution looks inevitable

Ruben Amorim threw down the gauntlet to Marcus Rashford by leaving the forward out of the Manchester derby - and Rashford has responded by suggesting his days at Manchester United could be numbered.

Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were both left out of Amorim's matchday squad for United's 2-1 win against Man City at the Etihad on Sunday, with the coach hinting that his selection decisions were based on "standards" and behaviour falling short on and off the pitch. Rashford has struggled for form this season and was booed by travelling United fans in the Europa League last Thursday before missing the City game.

On the Tuesday after the derby, Rashford was asked by journalist Henry Winter if he would be "staying or going" and replied: "For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps."

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Amorim held a press conference on Wednesday morning to preview United's Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham on Thursday, and refused to close the door on Rashford's Old Trafford career. The coach insisted he would be happy to keep Rashford, and even suggested that the "new challenge" the forward alluded to could be helping to restore United to the top of the game after years of underachievement.

A tense situation that was brewing behind the scenes is now very much public, with both camps leaving it all on the table: Amorim is daring Rashford to prove himself; Rashford is daring United to sell him. The situation is delicate heading into the January: Rashford is on a £325,000-a-week contract until summer 2028, which limits the number of suitors who could realistically afford to