Alexis Sanchez signing came like a ‘sledgehammer’ to Marcus Rashford, says Jamie Redknapp

Jamie Redknapp, Former Liverpool star believes the January signing of Alexis Sanchez would have come as a ‘sledgehammer’ blow to Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.


Alexis Sanchez has scored one goal since arriving at Old Trafford last month in a deal which saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan head in the opposite direction to Arsenal.

Rashford was Jose Mourinho’s most used player in 2017, with 61 appearances for Man U, but Redknapp is concerned that Sanchez’s arrival will see the young Englishman drop down the pecking order at United.

‘I can’t help but feel disappointed about what it does to a player like Marcus Rashford,’ Redknapp wrote in his Sky Sports column. ‘Some would say that great players come and go and you’ve got to get on with it, but the bottom line is that Rashford has now dropped down the pecking order.’


‘That’s what football is like. When I signed for Liverpool at the age of 17, I went straight ahead of all the other players in the youth team because I had been bought in from outside,’ he added.

‘It’s the same with Sanchez now. Due to his reputation and the fact he has been bought by the manager, Sanchez will always go ahead of Rashford whether he is playing better or not.

‘It’s the hardest thing for a young English player. You feel like you are just getting to the top of the pecking order and then suddenly, bang, it’s like a sledgehammer hits you. Your club have signed a world star.