Alan Shearer Exclusive: Rashford's opportunities are passing him by at Man Utd | OneFootball

Alan Shearer

Shearer praises Amorim for his handling of Rashford

Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer praises Ruben Amorim for his handling of Marcus Rashford, discusses the latest Premier League transfer business and says Arsenal have hit the panic button...

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Marcus Rashford's opportunities are passing him by

Ruben Amorim has been pretty clear about Marcus Rashford. What Amorim has said is perhaps what other Manchester United managers before him couldn't say or didn't want to say about Rashford.

The current manager has been brutally open and honest, telling his players: "This is the situation, this is what I've inherited, and I'm not accepting it. You either jump into my boat and row with me or you're not getting in it at all." I think that's a great attitude to have from the manager. It's the only way to go.

I like Amorim's openness, and I like his honesty, and I probably think previous managers are looking at that situation he's got with Marcus and thinking: "Yeah, that's what we had also, but you're now telling everyone how it is."

It's a tricky situation because of the wages that Rashford is on. You've got to understand the situation and the magnitude of what you're taking on and who you're taking on.

Three years ago, Rashford could phone the Prime Minister up and sit in front of them, yet now he can't even get anywhere near the first team at Manchester United. I hope he gets it right, and I hope he realises what he's doing. The opportunities are passing him by.

He's at one of the biggest clubs in the world and I hope that he and his people are looking at things and asking themselves: "Are we doing the right thing?"

Duran deal is surprise but good business for Villa

It looks as though Jhon Duran is going to go to Saudi Arabia for a lot of money. I think it's a great deal for Aston Villa because I'm not convinced that he could become an amazing player, although there's definitely potential there.

He's 21 and, for what Aston Villa paid for him and what they're going to get for him, for where they are now and where they want to go, I think it's a great deal for them.

I'm really surprised at him, as a 21-year-old going to Saudi Arabia. I get why he's going there, and he can come back to Europe within four or five years and be a multi-millionaire. I get all those reasons and understand that it's short career and all of those things.

Financially, it's an amazing deal for both parties. He can come back in four or five years and be incredibly wealthy and who in their right mind is going to try and stop that opportunity for a young person. But he's not going to a great league.

Duran has not been a regular at Aston Villa, and he's not going to be while someone is better than him and Ollie Watkins is better than him at the minute.

He's been brilliant at what his job is at this moment in time, but he's just he's a number two striker who is 21 years of age. The club are being offered a ridiculous amount of money for him, so I totally get Villa's point of view. Especially with PSR and the way the rules are.

Arsenal have hit the panic button but won't get Watkins

There's no way Arsenal get Watkins now. Villa just couldn't do it, even if they thought it was a good business deal, after letting Duran go.

From an Arsenal point of view the timing was pretty naughty, on the afternoon of a Champions League game. When you consider that Arsenal had all month to put the bid in and have known what they're missing for seven or eight months. It's not as if they've just realised that they need a striker.

Arsenal have hit the panic button.  I don't know why it's taken them so long to realise that they need a centre forward, so many people have talked about it for such a long time. Arteta will point to Saka and Jesus being out injured, but they needed a centre-forward even before those players were injured. The only surprise to me is it's taken so long in the window for them to make a move.

Watkins is the sort of player that would make the difference for them, in him you're getting someone who's ready-made, but Villa are not going to sell him.

No surprises for Newcastle in the transfer window

I didn't really expect anything big from Newcastle in this transfer window, maybe one or two outgoings, which have happened, but nothing big.

In terms of incomings, there hasn't been anything unexpected. They laid their cards on the table, and were clear that they couldn't bring anyone big in during this window for obvious reasons, and they had to get rid of three or four.

Miguel Almiron has been great for Newcastle. He epitomised everything great about the team, in terms of giving everything he had for the football club, and everyone wishes him well.

I've never doubted Isak would stay

I'm not on the inside when it comes to Newcastle's business, but for me, there was never a chance that Newcastle were ever going to let Alexander Isak go. They couldn't replace him, even if they sold him for ridiculous money.

I don't think there was ever any time when he thought or expected anything else other than being at Newcastle and keeping going the way he is.  There was no part of me that was ever thinking Newcastle could or would sell him.

I'm not making it up and I'm not being disingenuous to say that I don't think anyone could afford him either.