Incoming England head coach Thomas Tuchel has reportedly made contact with Manchester United's Marcus Rashford to tell him that he wants him to be a part of his Three Lions setup going forward.
The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain head coach will officially take charge of the Euro 2024 finalists on January 1, having agreed a deal to succeed the long-serving Gareth Southgate.
Before Tuchel officially begins his work on an initial 18-month contract, Lee Carsley remains in control of the reins for two more UEFA Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland later this month.
Unsurprisingly, there was no place for Rashford in Carsley's final England squad, as the 27-year-old has underwhelmed in the early stages of the 2024-25 season with just four goals and three assists from 18 games in all tournaments.
That mediocre tally includes a record of just one goal and one assist from 11 Premier League matches, while he only managed an indifferent eight goals and six assists from 43 games last season.
Tuchel believes Rashford's absence played 'big part' in England's Euros disappointment
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Rashford was snubbed for a place in Southgate's Euro 2024 squad, where Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka acted as the manager's first-choice wingers en route to the final, where they were beaten 2-1 by Spain.
Now, The Sun claims that Tuchel has been in touch with Rashford's camp to offer him his full support, while also theorising that his absence played a key role in England's failure to win Euro 2024.
"Tuchel contacted Marcus and his representatives and told them he saw Marcus as an essential part of the England squad," an anonymous source told the publication.
"He said he believed a big part of England's failure to win Euro 2024 was not having Marcus as an option. Other teams fear his abilities and Tuchel said he believed without Rashford, England didn't offer a strong attacking threat on the left.
"That made them easier to play against as a lot of the ball came down the right. Tuchel is a huge admirer of Marcus. It's a great boost for him and another encouragement to try and get back to his best."
Does Rashford deserve to return to the England squad?
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The Rashford of 2022-23 would have certainly warranted a spot on the plane to Germany, and his record for England is respectable, 17 goals and six assists from 60 matches across all competitions.
Rather incredibly, the Man United winger is yet to start a match for England at a European Championships; he made two substitute appearances at the 2016 edition and played five times off the bench at Euro 2020.
On current form, though, it would be hard to justify calling Rashford up to the England squad, especially when Aston Villa's in-form star Morgan Rogers cannot even get a look-in.
Furthermore, the rejuvenated Emile Smith Rowe - whose best position is off the left - should arguably be above Rashford in the hopefuls' pecking order, and the latter was outshone again in Man United's 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday, coming off before the hour and then witnessing his replacement Alejandro Garnacho score a wonderful goal.
The 27-year-old has several weeks to really prove to Tuchel that he deserves to wear the shirt again, but if he cannot turn his fortunes around over the winter, he should be left waiting for a first call-up since March.
