Manchester United academy chief Nicky Butt feels that Marcus Rashford is not ready for an England call-up yet and naming him in the Three Lions’ Euro 2016 squad would ‘backfire’ tremendously.
The 18-year-old burst onto the scene for the Reds last month, scoring four goals in his first two games against Midtjylland in the Europa League and Arsenal in the Premier League.
This has inevitably brought up talk of Rashford potentially making Roy Hodgson’s squad for the Euros in France this summer, with the England manager not ruling it out entirely and seemingly open to the option.
However, Butt feels that it is way too soon for Rashford to even be considered for a senior call-up, but he would not tell Hodgson what to do.
Speaking to BBC Sport at the launch of United’s new partnership with oil company Gulf, the 41-year-old said:
No, I think it’s well too soon for Marcus. It could backfire on everybody, and it might not be the right thing for him.
I’m not telling an England manager what to do; it’s his job to pick whoever he feels.
But for me, he’s a young boy who’s still learning the game and has got a long way to go yet. He has phenomenal potential for England and Man United but it [an international call-up] might do him more damage than good.
