Ex-Man United forward Marcus Rashford has criticised the club’s lack of direction, warning they are “in no man’s land” and urging the hierarchy to commit to a clear, long-term solution.

The 27-year-old England international, speaking on ‘The Rest is Football podcast’ with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, warned that the club’s lack of a consistent philosophy and long-term strategy has left them in “no man’s land,” stressing the need for a clear vision to address their problems.

Rashford slammed the club’s strategy in recent years, from the plans of past managers to the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, saying they have not begun a real transition because there is no clear style of play across the team.

Rashford said: “You see it with any team that’s been successful over a period of time: they have principles that any coach that comes in, any player that comes in, has to align to these principles or be able to add to these principles. Whereas at times I feel like United have just been we’re hungry to win, so we’ll always try to adapt and to sign players that fit this system. But it’s reactionary. If your direction’s always changing, you can’t expect to be able to win the league. Yeah, you might win some cup tournaments, but it’s because you do have a good coach, and you do have good players, and you have match winners in your team – you’re not there by accident.’’

The Barcelona loanee spoke about how it feels to play for the Spanish side, appreciating the welcome he has received from the people and media, and what the move means for him at this stage of his career.

He also reflected on the managers who influenced him most, naming Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while omitting Amorim and former manager Erik ten Hag. He described Mourinho as the most fixated on winning, regardless of performance.

He said, “Up until Jose, I never had a manager so focused on winning. Van Gaal wanted to win with beautiful football; Jose didn’t care if you win, you move on to the next game.’’

Rashford admitted he initially found Mourinho’s approach confusing after being brought up to play in a certain style but eventually grew to respect it.

He stated, “At first, I was angry because we hadn’t played well, and we won. But he’s a winner, and after six months, I learned to respect it and benefit from him as a coach.”

However, with the league kicking off this weekend and United missing out on European football for the first time in decades, questions remain on whether these signings can deliver for the club and lift them back to the top.