Marcus Rashford faces a challenge to save his Manchester United future, with the club willing to cut ties with the forward if he does not elevate his standards on and off the pitch.
Sky Sports News first reported the 27-year-old was on a collision course with the INEOS leadership and their "clean culture" approach in January after his third breach of former manager Erik ten Hag's rules.
Ruben Amorim, the new man at the helm, has also been unimpressed with Rashford's application at the training ground and his general demeanour, which led to his omission from the squad on Sunday for the Manchester derby.
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While Alejandro Garnacho also had to watch United's victory at the Etihad from home for the same reason, he has not been a serial offender, nor has he been considered a senior member of the team who should be setting an example.
While Amorim has made it clear no dip in effort will be tolerated, the feeling is that the 20-year-old hasn't run out of chances like Rashford, whom the club have been open to offers for since January.
The issue then, in the summer, and as it stands now is the attacker has no suitors due to his off-pitch behaviour, form, and mega salary.
In the absence of a market for Rashford, Amorim has been trying different methods to get a tune out of him. "For so long, for example with Rash, you try a thing, it doesn't work," he said. "Let's continue to do the same thing? Or something different?"
Being left out of the squad against Manchester City has so far had the desired effect of elevating the player's training standards and attitude.
Rashford posted a photograph of United's celebration following Amad's sensational winner with the caption, "Yesssssssss! Love it lads" on social media. It was viewed as a nod to Amorim's comment that everything, including "engagement with team-mates" will be considered when he selects a match-day squad.
United will hope that Rashford's positive response is not short-lived as it has been in the past. When Ten Hag excluded him from the starting line-up against Wolves for being late to a team meeting in December 2022, he came off the bench to score the winner and said: "If I was a coach, I'd have done the same.
"Because if you don't have standards in the training ground, how do you expect to go out on the pitch and win consistently? It's impossible."
Rashford also responded well to his punishment after calling in sick for training when it had been discovered he was partying in Belfast for two nights in January. Ten Hag dropped him against Newport County and then restored him against Wolves, where he was on the scoresheet again.
The uptick has never lasted long but United are willing Amorim's action - removing him from the game that means the most as a local lad - to be the jolt Rashford needs. His United future depends on it.
Carragher: Rashford leaving is 'inevitable'
Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:
"Most managers who come in, they want to send a message to the squad about the standards of the football club. In some ways it feels a bigger decision than it actually is.
"I mean, is Marcus Rashford in the best XI? How good is he? We're not talking about a world-renowned superstar here. I actually think we talk about Marcus Rashford too much, if I'm being totally honest.
"He's a good player, he's not a great player, he's been a really good player for Manchester United. It is time for him to leave the club, but whether there'll be any takers with the wages the lad's on and things like that, who knows.
"I just think a parting of the ways is inevitable at some stage, and I think for Manchester United and Rashford, the quicker that comes, the better."
