Marcus Rashford ‘fined £650,000 after 12-hour tequila drinking spree’ – reports

Manchester United’s highest-paid player Marcus Rashford went on a 12-hour drinking bender in Belfast before calling in sick to club training last week, according to reports in the British media.

The England striker on Monday night “accepted responsibility for his actions” after being summoned for crisis talks with manager Erik ten Hag amid growing concerns at the club about his off-field issues.

United confirmed they held a disciplinary meeting with Rashford after he had reported ill on Friday – having been pictured out in Belfast allegedly for two nights before. Rashford subsequently missed Sunday’s 4-2 win at Newport in the FA Cup.

United did not state the action it had been taken against Rashford, but The Sun newspaper claimed he was fined £650,000, the equivalent of two weeks’ wages, and dropped for the Newport tie.

A waitress told the paper that Rashford went on a 12-hour tequila drinking spree while in Belfast and had to be put to bed after passing out at 3am. She claims the England international invited her on his night out at Thompson’s Garage club after serving him lunch.

Sarah Adair, 30, said she joined Rashford and his entourage on Thursday night after the United striker allegedly asked her where they could go that would stay open later than 3am. “That made it clear to me that he had already made his mind up that he wasn’t going to training on Friday. He had no plans to go home that night,” she claimed.

The report adds that Rashford flew home to Manchester via private jet at 7am on Friday morning, before reporting ill for training.

Rashford arrived at United’s Carrington training HQ early on Monday morning with his brother and agent, Dwaine Maynard, arriving separately for the summit with Ten Hag and football director John Murtough.

Ten Hag is thought to be increasingly worried about Rashford’s behaviour after the England forward was pictured out in Belfast on Wednesday and Thursday night last week before reporting ill on Friday, when United were expected to train ahead of the Newport match.

Rashford missed training on both Friday and Saturday and therefore did not travel with the rest of the squad to Newport. On Sunday, he is said to have recovered and reported himself available to play and willing to travel to south Wales only to be instructed by Ten Hag to stay at Carrington and train.

“Marcus has taken responsibility for his actions,” a club statement read. “This has been dealt with as an internal disciplinary matter, which is now closed.”

Club sources confirmed the England international is back in training and will be available for selection for United’s trip to Wolves on Thursday.

Ten Hag has been keen to get to the bottom of United’s troubles on and off the field. United’s top scorer last season with 30 goals, Rashford’s form has nosedived this term with the striker finding the net just four times and he has routinely cut a dejected figure and there is understood to be some concern there could be other issues at play.

The latest incident comes just three months after Rashford was reprimanded by Ten Hag for going out until the early hours after the 3-0 defeat by Manchester City in October despite United having training that morning.

Ten Hag said on Sunday that it was an “internal matter” and he would “deal with” Rashford.

Rashford’s mood and general demeanour could not contrast more starkly with last season when he was in the form of his life after overcoming a torrid previous 18 months.

United’s troubled season has been beset by off field issues. Ten Hag has had to deal with a number of disciplinary issues, including those involving Antony and Jadon Sancho, who joined Borussia Dortmund on loan this month after being banished by the manager in September.

Rashford, 26, apologised in October after going out until the early hours to celebrate his birthday after the City defeat when he had training later that morning, with Ten Hag branding his behaviour “unacceptable”.

The manager’s handling of Rashford going forward will be interesting. Ten Hag drew criticism in some quarters over his handling of Sancho after the England forward took to social media to effectively accuse his manager of lying over the reasons for his absence against Arsenal earlier this season.

Rashford, 26, apologised in October after going out until the early hours to celebrate his birthday after the City defeat when he had training later that morning, with Ten Hag branding his behaviour “unacceptable”.

Ten Hag drew criticism in some quarters over his handling of Sancho after the England forward took to social media to effectively accuse his manager of lying over the reasons for his absence against Arsenal early in the season.

Sancho ended up being exiled from the first team and forced to change and eat alone before his loan to Dortmund this month.

Rashford wore a blank expression as he arrived at Carrington on Monday in his Lamborghini Urus with his brother Dwaine driving in separately. Murtough is also understood to have been present during the talks with Ten Hag.

Although Ten Hag will have wanted an explanation for the chronology around Rashford’s trip to Belfast, United are thought to have been keen to understand what has been going on with the player.

The former England striker Alan Shearer claimed at the weekend that “something’s up” with the forward. “Something is clearly wrong,” he said. “Either at home, or his relationship with the football club, because he can’t keep doing this. He can’t waste his talent.”

Rashford had trained on Wednesday before flying to Belfast, with Thursday a scheduled day off for United’s players.

Images then emerged of Rashford allegedly at Thompsons Garage nightclub, which United suggested had been taken on Wednesday. The club have since declined to comment on claims the pictures were actually taken on Thursday, with a photograph of Rashford at Lavery’s bar reportedly taken on Wednesday night.

Rashford’s visit to Belfast coincided with his friend and former United youth team-mate Ro-Shaun Williams signing for the Northern Ireland club Larne, who publicised his visit on social media.

Rio Ferdinand believes Rashford should be one of the players leading United through their current struggles.

“Marcus should be the guy that is leading that team,” the former United defender said on his FIVE YouTube channel. “None of us were saints. Scholesy [Paul Scholes], everyone thinks is the most quiet man, but on a night out, he was a loon sometimes. He would be out and about, one of the last to go home, but you are trying to do it at the right time.

“We did like a good time. It would all go back to the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson]. You have to have the awareness, it’s not the manager that knows everything, the bloody world knows, you have to be more diligent and careful. If he does that with Marcus now – he would go for a lot of money in the market.

“I hate talking about all these things outside of the 90 minutes. But it’s consistently popping up. It’s been happening years. There are so many different scenarios that we are talking about, outside of the game and it is down to the club, the players and the manager to create a culture where people stay in check.”

Ferdinand said United needed to get a handle on persistent negative headlines around players. “Who else is dealing with that type of stupidness?’ he said. “Who else is dealing with these behavioural problems, these sagas, these big personalities who are doing what they feel is right at the time?

“We’re dealing with someone dealing with a lot of issues in the glare of the public, we’re the biggest club in the world. It’s unprecedented. He isn’t letting people get away with it, which I like.

“There’s a point where it’s trust. Can this manager trust the players won’t be front, middle, back page headlines? He can’t. He can’t trust them at the moment to allow him to focus on football.

“I think Erik ten Hag has to be strong, solid and consistent. Where does he go now? Who does he lean on? If he does it with Sancho, he has a Rashford or [Alejandro] Garnacho sitting there. If he does that with Marcus now – he would go for a lot of money in the market.”

Antony was put on paid leave earlier in the season as he fights allegations of assault by a former girlfriend, which he strenuously denies. The Brazil winger claimed his first goal and assist of the season in the win at Newport and hopes it marks a turning point.

“I fought hard to reach the levels of playing for this club, I know I can build on [this] performance and continue to show my qualities,” he said. “I pushed myself day after day for better performances, I will continue to completely close myself off to improve and play the football that Manchester United hired me to do.

“The whole club, every fan, deserves the best from each one of us. United is one of the main clubs in the world, where everyone wants to be and it’s where I want to build my story.”

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