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Simon Jordan held nothing back when discussing Marcus Rashford's plight on Tuesday morning.
It wasn’t just Rashford who was handed both barrels by the former Crystal Palace owner, with journalist Henry Winter also finding himself under fire.
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Winter, who regularly casts an expert eye over football’s leading stories for talkSPORT, first revealed the blockbuster news that Rashford was seeking a way out of Old Trafford.
During an exclusive with Winter last month, the 27-year-old expressed his desire for a ‘new challenge’.
The forward has been linked with a move away this month with AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund among the interested parties, however the player’s £325,000-a-week wages could prove a huge stumbling block.
No formal proposal to take Rashford on loan has been tabled as yet despite the player having played no part in the club's last nine matches.
Reports on Tuesday claim Rashford has been putting in extra training sessions in an attempt to win back his place or to find his rhythm ahead of a move this month.
Asked whether Rashford could remain at Old Trafford, Winter believes it’s more likely he will move before deadline day on February 3.
“It all comes back to money and tactics,” said Winter. “The wages are huge, Manchester United are focusing on PSR [Profit and Sustainability Rules].
“He hasn’t been used by Amorim in nine matchdays. I think the direction of travel from two months ago has been that the two sides part ways.
“I think the tactical side needs to be taken into account. We have seen him play through the middle on occasion and he’s done quite well there.
“If you look at Amorim’s tactical approach, the 3-4-2-1, he doesn’t really suit that. As we've seen for club and country, he’s best cutting in off the left in a 4-3-3.
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“The fact that he’s putting in extra training, fantastic. I think that’s what players should do. Whether that means he’s going to stay, I would be surprised.”
Jordan was chomping at the bit to have his say and did so when asked if Rashford remaining at Old Trafford would look worse for him or Amorim.
“It depends how you read the room,” said Jordan. “Henry’s in the camp of believing that Manchester United orchestrated this situation.
“I’m not quite so sure Rashford was wise disclosing what he said to Henry because I don’t think it helps the situation.
“I don’t necessarily think out should be out. In the instance of Marcus Rashford I think he’s run his race at Manchester United.
“But I don’t think as a matter of course just because someone has stepped offside, they should never be able to get back onside again.”
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Jordan then claimed that Rashford's representatives might now view the interview with Winter as a mistake.
However, Winter clarified his position and explained the process he went through before running the bombshell story.
“What happens in journalism and with an interview like that, I talk to the club before I run it,” he said. “I also talked to enough people to sense the direction of travel in terms of Manchester United for financial reasons to generate money to bring players in.
“Rashford’s direction was through the exit,” he added. “With a good player like that you would want the exit to be handled sensitively and respectfully and the impression I got from Rashford is that he wanted to go through the front door with his head held high and he wasn’t going to criticise the club.
“He was emphatic about that and he was very calm when I spoke to him. I don’t think there was anything rushed about that.
“You’ve got to remember that footballers are human beings and he’s done a lot for that club.”
Every single Man United manager had problems with Marcus Rashford - Andy Mitten
Jordan was left perplexed at Winter’s comments and interjected, saying: “Pack it in Henry, I can’t listen to your sentimental tripe at times. The fact of the matter is that it's a business transaction.”
Winter replied: “It’s a business but we also need to remember that footballers are people, he’s done a lot for the club, he could have done a lot more in the last two years.”
Jordan hit back: “I don’t understand. What’s this got to do with Marcus Rashford deciding to use you as a mouthpiece? To which Winter answered, “He wanted to get his point over.”
Jordan unanimously concluded the debate by explaining why the interview has made all parties worse off.
He said: "We've watched the player for three years walk around with a face like a smacked arse doing the bare minimum and you’re asking people to consider that as he’s a human being?
“Well everyone understands that he’s a human being, everyone values people on a level. If he’s reached the point where under successive managers and as an England international he’s being discounted from all equations.
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“He sits on a podcast saying ‘woe is me’ with lovely little music in the background feeling terrible about the circumstances that he’s had. He's a very fortunate player playing for a very big football club that I don’t think has done the credit that he should do.
“He’s compounded it and read the room completely wrong. You’ve got a wonderful scoop Henry, well done you, you're a great journalist but for Marcus Rashford and Manchester United it's a bit of a mess.
“The player hasn’t come out of it well, the fans haven't reacted particularly well to it and the market place hasn’t reacted well to Marcus Rashford being available to be bought and Manchester United are sitting there with a player that is now doing the wonderful thing of double sessions.
“Wonderful, what a great outcome.”
