Manchester United release statement in response to media reports about Marcus Rashford

Manchester United have released a statement in response to media reports about Marcus Rashford.

After being reportedly spotted at nightclubs in Belfast on Wednesday and Thursday evening, Rashford was absent from training on Friday due to illness.

A report from The Athletic claimed the 26-year-old went to Lavery’s Bar on Wednesday night before attending Thompsons Garage nightclub the following day.

Erik ten Hag refused to go into detail before Sunday's clash against League Two side Newport but said: "He reported ill. Lets say, it’s an internal matter, I’ll deal with it. It’s an internal matter."

On Monday morning, Rashford and his agent Dwaine Maynard attended a meeting with football director John Murtough and Erik ten Hag at Carrington to discuss last week’s events in Northern Ireland, according to The Athletic.

And on Monday evening, Manchester United released a statement on Rashford's situation, confirming that he has returned to training and will be available for selection against Wolves on Thursday.

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

Image credit: Getty

Rashford will face a fine of two weeks’ wages, according to The Sun, which equates to £650,000.

Plenty of people have had their say on Rashford's absence, including former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer, who urged the player to not waste his talent.

Speaking to BBC Sport after Erik ten Hag's pre-match interview on Sunday, he said: "If it’s an internal matter, you’d think something is up.

"There’s a huge talent in there with Marcus Rashford. We’ve seen him be disciplined last season when he was late to a meeting before a game but something is clearly wrong - either at home or in his relationship with the football club.

"He can’t keep doing this, he can’t keep wasting his talent because it’s not right. He needs strong management, someone to get hold of him and tell him there’ll be huge regrets come the end of his career if he continues doing this.

"You can’t keep doing it, it needs sorting now. Thirty goals last season, four this season. When I see him play, it looks like he’s got the world on his shoulders so it needs sorting now because he can’t really deal with it."

As mentioned in the latest update, Rashford will be available for selection for Manchester United's trip to Wolves on Thursday evening.