Wayne Rooney hopes “incredible talent” Marcus Rashford can help bring titles back to Manchester United and put himself at the same level as the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
The 20-time league champions have now not won a Premier League crown for a decade, with neighbours Manchester City establishing themselves as the dominant force during that period.
United have endured a topsy-turvy time since Rooney helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s side lift the 2012-13 title but things are looking up under Erik ten Hag.
Mason Mount has joined from Chelsea and Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is set to follow him to Old Trafford as the Dutchman looks to build on last season’s Carabao Cup triumph and third-place finish.
United have been further boosted on Tuesday by tying down homegrown star Rashford, who has signed a new five-year deal after breaking the 30-goal barrier for the first time last season.
“I think Ten Hag has done really well since he came in last season,” Rooney, the club’s all-time top scorer, said.
“You can see he’s trying to create a squad and a mentality with the signings he made last season and also again what they’re trying to do this year.
“I think Marcus Rashford is an incredible talent. I am delighted he signed a new deal. I think the next five years for him is going to be real important in his legacy, if you like.
“Because he can score a lot of goals but if he really wants to go to that level which Mbappe and Haaland are at, I think he has to be the man to get Manchester United back to winning trophies and league titles. I hope he can do that.”
City – basking in the afterglow of their treble triumph – are some hurdle to overcome, with up-and-coming manager Rooney full of praise for Pep Guardiola.
“I think Manchester City have certainly raised everything,” the DC United boss said. “You look at Liverpool for a couple of seasons were really challenging them.
“They’ve set a challenge for Manchester United, for Arsenal, for Chelsea, for Liverpool and all the teams, really.
“Guardiola has been, for me, one of the best things to happen to English football – not just in terms of the league but actually the England national team too.
“Some of the coaching he’s given the young English players, before with (Raheem) Sterling, John Stones, Kyle Walker, has really helped them develop as players.
“I know they were senior players in the England set-up, to pass that knowledge onto some of the other players well.
“Yeah, there’s a challenge there. I think it goes in cycles – we’ve seen it throughout the years with Manchester United, Arsenal having dominance, Chelsea having dominance.
“Unfortunately it’s Manchester City’s time of dominance but I’m sure the teams that are challenging are going to be coming back over the next few years, that’s for sure.”
Rooney was speaking ahead of managing the Major League Soccer All-Stars against Arsenal, whose manager Mikel Arteta is another coach he admires.
“I think he’s done incredible, really, to go in at Arsenal and he won the FA Cup in the first season and really pushed Manchester City last season,” the England great said.
“Still as a young coach, it’s great to see. Everyone coaches in their own ways, styles and identities.
“He’s been fantastic and I’m sure working with Guardiola helped him massively as well.
“That’s where you want to get to as a young coach, into the top teams obviously, being English, in the Premier League.
“I’m going through the steps to try and do that where Arteta has already been through those steps and had probably the best training he could have working alongside Guardiola.”
Rooney and Arteta shared a warm embrace between the press conferences in Washington DC, where new boy Declan Rice could make his first Arsenal appearance since joining for £105million from West Ham.
“I think he’s a huge signing for Arsenal,” Rooney said. “He’s a fantastic player with a great mentality, young.
“Arsenal have got a player at the top of his game but I think he’ll bring a great character into the dressing room.
“He’s a captain, he could be captain of Arsenal. I think he’s a player who Arsenal needed and they’ve certainly got a top player.”
