Wayne Rooney tells Marcus Rashford how to chase Man Utd record

Wayne Rooney believes Marcus Rashford remains capable of breaking his Manchester United goalscoring record, but has challenged the forward to improve his work rate and rebuild his relationship with supporters.

Rashford is back with United after loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona, with the Spanish champions deciding against making his move permanent. The 28-year-old has subsequently been involved in Michael Carrick's pre-season preparations ahead of what could become an unexpected second chance at Old Trafford.

Rooney remains United's record scorer with 253 goals, while Rashford has scored 138 times for his boyhood club and currently sits 15th on their all-time list.

Speaking on his Stick to United podcast, Rooney said Rashford possesses the ability to challenge his record but questioned whether the England international has the hunger required to revive his United career.

"For me, has he got the hunger, does he want to play for Manchester United?" Rooney said.

The former United captain believes Rashford's first task should be repairing his relationship with supporters.

Rooney drew on his own experience after asking to leave United in 2010, arguing that hard work provides the simplest route towards winning fans back.

"I think his work rate has to improve, but if he wants to be at the football club, he just needs to knuckle down," he said.

Rooney also highlighted Rashford's body language as an area requiring attention if he is to make the most of another opportunity at Old Trafford.

Rashford has not played competitively for United since December 2024, having fallen out of favour under former manager Ruben Amorim before leaving for temporary spells with Villa and Barcelona.

His future now appears to have changed direction again.

Rooney made clear that he would rather see Rashford rediscover his best form in Manchester than thrive elsewhere, particularly given the forward's longstanding connection with the club.

"He's from Manchester. He's the one player who can go and get my goalscoring record," Rooney said.

The scale of that challenge remains considerable. Rashford is 115 goals behind Rooney's record, meaning he would need both longevity and a return to regular scoring if he is ever to threaten the landmark.

For Rooney, the next stage depends largely on Rashford himself.

He advised the forward to keep a small circle of trusted people around him, concentrate on training and demonstrate through his performances that he wants to remain part of United's plans.

"If he does that, he'll be fine," Rooney said.

Rashford's involvement during Carrick's pre-season gives him an opportunity to start that process. After appearing destined for a permanent departure, he now has the chance to rebuild his United career and begin climbing the club's goalscoring rankings again.

Rashford's immediate challenge is to turn his pre-season involvement into a genuine role under Carrick when competitive football begins.

Any pursuit of Rooney's record remains a distant target, with 115 goals separating the pair. More immediately, Rashford must show that he can regain the trust of United supporters and establish himself in the team after spending more than a year away from Old Trafford.

Can Marcus Rashford revive his Manchester United career and eventually challenge Wayne Rooney's 253-goal record? Have your say.