‘We hurt the squad’ – Ruben Amorim admits decision to axe Marcus Rashford and Antony cost Man Utd around ten goals

MANCHESTER UNITED boss Ruben Amorim dumped striker Marcus Rashford and £85.5million flop Antony for the greater good of the club.

Homegrown star Marcus Rashford, who is now out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, found a new lease of life on loan at Aston Villa.

AP

Ruben Amorim has admitted the losses of loan stars Marcus Rashford and Antony have hurt Man Utd[/caption]

Rex

Antony and Rashford have excelled while on loan[/caption]

He scored four goals and had five assists.

And Antony has been an instant favourite at Spanish club Real Betis.

But ahead of today’s trip to Bournemouth, with United facing their lowest-ever Prem points total, Amorim said he needed to move the unhappy duo on.

And not only because the cash-strapped club could save a huge chunk of their combined weekly wage of £500,000.

In a clear signal that he wants them sold to help fund a summer re-build, Amorim said: “We lack a lot of things in the team.

“In January we lost, and you are talking about Rashford and Antony, we lost these players.

“And we didn’t bring new ones, that was a risk. We are trying to do something more important.

“But I think that there are things here that are more important than to score 10 more goals this season.

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“We can hurt the squad now but in the future it is going to help the club so I think we are on that path.”

Amorim stressed he had the full support of technical director Jason Wilcox with the loan deals.

He added: “It was my idea but I tried to help the team and sometimes helping the players needs something different.”

Rashford and Antony’s future lies away from Old Trafford with United pushing on with plans to lure £62.5m forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves.

Liam Delap, available for £30m from Ipswich, is another target, along with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.