Marcus Rashford friendship 'didn't help' Man Utd star exiled to 'bomb squad'

Rashford left United on loan earlier this summer (Picture: Visionhaus via Getty Images)

Tyrell Malacia’s bleak situation at Manchester United ‘has not been helped’ by his friendship with Marcus Rashford, according to one journalist close to the club.

The Netherlands international is part o f United’s ‘bomb squad’ – the clutch of players exiled from the first-team by Ruben Amorim this summer having been told they have no futures at the club.

Malacia, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho make up that group of players who are desperately trying to find new clubs before the summer transfer window closes.

Malacia joined United in the summer of 2022 for a relatively modest fee but has fallen woefully out of favour following a serious knee injury that sidelined him for 17 months.

The 26-year-old was recently pictured training with eighth-tier club Trafford FC as he continues to try and find a new club.

Rashford was also part of that group banished from the team, leaving the club to join Barcelona on a season-long loan last month . Following Malacia’s arrival in Manchester, the two struck up a friendship, holidaying together with friends after their first season together at the club.

The Athletic journalist Andy Mitten discussed the futures of United’s ‘bomb squad’ in the most recent episode of Talk of the Devils . Discussing Malacia’s future, he suggested his relationship with Rashford ‘has not helped’ his situation in Manchester with the left-back desperate to secure himself a move away.

Malacia has not played for the club since January (Picture: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

‘Malacia has been training at a wonderful non-league club by himself,’ Mitten said. ‘He absolutely wants a move.

‘There is a shortage of left footed players but his injury record is not good for him.

‘He’s ready and raring to go now, I don’t think it helped him being close friends with Marcus Rashford, I think the manager is just like, “you’re in my plans, you are absolutely not in my plans, get out of it.”.

Malacia and Rashford forged a close friendship (Picture: Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

‘As the manager has said to be fair, this isn’t an idea situation. He would have liked all these players to be doing well for Manchester United but he’s making the moves he feels he needs to make in order to make Manchester United great again.’

Malacia became the first signing of the Erik ten Hag era in the summer of 2022, showing promise in his first season at the club providing cover and competition for Luke Shaw.