Wayne Rooney talks sense to West Ham and Arsenal £35m target ahead of Deadline Day

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has urged Marcus Rashford to push for an Old Trafford exit this month amid reports of interest from West Ham and Arsenal.

The 27-year-old has been frozen out under Ruben Amorim with the Red Devils manager being outspoken in his criticism for the winger's attitude. Rashford has not been in a Premier League squad for the last five matches and his last league minutes came at the start of December.

Rashford was playing regularly under Erik ten Hag but has not impressed Amorim since his appointment at Old Trafford. Several clubs across Europe have been linked with a January transfer swoop for the forward.

West Ham and Arsenal linked with Marcus Rashford

West Ham are known to be in the market for a talisman with £27 million man Niclas Fullkrug picking up yet another injury against Aston Villa in the FA Cup earlier this month.

Graham Potter's side's interest in Rashford has been widely reported and they join Arsenal in being linked with a January move for the player. The Gunners are also short in attacking options due to injuries, Brazil international Gabriel Jesus out for the rest of the season.

The Daily Mail has now suggested that Arsenal have ruled themselves out of the transfer race, with all efforts going towards recruiting Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa. However, that move could become even harder with Villains talisman Jhon Duran Saudi-bound, which could leave the Gunners returning to previous options. AC Milan have also been touted as a potential destination with Rashford's agent having travelled to Italy to hear from the club.

Rooney has opened up on the talks he has had with Rashford about his future. The former Manchester United striker visited Carrington last weekend and said he was 'embarrassed' to see the player training on his own.

Speaking to The Overlap, Rooney said: "I went into Carrington on Sunday to take my kids to game day and Marcus was out on the training pitch with the fitness coach but he was right over towards where the parents were walking past for the kids’ games.

"I remember looking at him and I was thinking if that was me there… how embarrassing is it that the parents are walking past. It’s all getting re-done so they’re on the academy side, so he’s there and all the parents are walking past."

Wayne Rooney speaks to struggling Man Utd man

Red Devils boss Amorim doubled down on comments that Rashford had not been training hard enough following the 1-0 victory over Fulham on Sunday evening. Reacting to the idea of a lack of commitment, Rooney said: "I was surprised when this started over two years ago, I was surprised then, now I’m not.

"I’ve spoken to Marcus a couple of times, I’ve given him my thoughts, my opinion, I’ve said you need to leave the football club. Because whatever is going on in his life, whatever is going on at Manchester United, he’s not the same, it’s not him, so I said for him to have a fresh start he needs to leave the club. But I agree with Roy, the fact the manager has come out saying you’re not training right is crazy.

"When I asked Alex Ferguson to leave the club, I still come in and trained every single day, worked every single day, and Fergie outed me about two months after I asked to leave. So managers do it at the right time as well when they need to get rid of a player, I got injured, Scholesey took me out, and then that was Fergie’s chance to come out and have a go at me and bring it all to the table. I think with Marcus it’s been going on for two years and it’s sad, it’s really sad."

In other news, Championship club QPR are set to land a transfer blow on Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur amid reports of a new contract for a rising midfield star.