Youri Tielemans bluntly rejected the doubts over Marcus Rashford’s committment to soccer in an impassioned defense of his Manchester United teammate before a meeting with the manager who so strongly pedaled that negative narrative.The quirks of preseason fixtures arranged long ago have devilishly pitted Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan against his former employers Manchester United on Saturday in Poland. During his disastrous 14 months at Old Trafford, Amorim notably expelled Rashford from United’s first-team roster, at one point admitting that he would have selected his then 63-year-old goalkeeping coach instead of the England international.The allegation repeatedly leveled at Rashford was his supposed refusal to “give the maximum every day” outside of competitive matches. “The reason is the training,” Amorim explained, “the way I see what a footballer should do. In training, in life and it’s every day, every detail.”In search of first-team opportunities, Rashford initially joined Aston Villa on loan at the start of 2025 where he would first encounter Tielemans. After so much speculation over his new teammate’s character, the Belgium international was stunned to discover the player who turned up in Birmingham.“There was such a big thing made out of him that he wasn’t committed or wasn’t in it for the right reasons or whatever. And you see the player coming in and it’s completely opposite from what you hear,” Tielemans told Rio Ferdinand on his self-titled YouTube show.Marcus Rashford (left) and Youri Tielemans helped Aston Villa reach a Champions League quarterfinal. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images“He was committed. He was doing the work. He was positive with everyone. You know, he was just a normal guy, you know.”“He’s got amazing qualities,” United’s marquee signing of the summer added. “And I mean, his touch, his acceleration, his finishing, you know, his qualities on the ball. But then I think what surprised me most with him was his commitment.”Tielemans Sets Out What Rashford Needs for Man Utd SuccessRashford was an observer for the friendly in Dublin . | Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty ImagesWith his endeavor not in question and a wide array of talents already appreciated, Tielemans insisted that the key for Rashford’s reintegration at Manchester United only depended upon his teammates.“I think he needs us,” the former Villa midfielder admitted. “That’s it. I think he just needs support behind him. And he would always create something.“So it’s something that, as a player, you want in your team. You want that type of player in your team that can create at any moment. He can dribble past one, two, three players and then lay off for someone that can score. So to have him fit and ready to go with us would be great.”Rashford’s Amorim Reunion BeckonsRuben Amorim is now at the helm of AC Milan. | Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty ImagesManchester United manager Michael Carrick, in stark contrast to his predecessor, has only had favorable things to say about Rashford. “He’s our player. He’s come back great, like any other player. I’ve known him a long time, he gives us something a bit different,” Carrick gushed earlier this week.After enjoying an extended vacation thanks to his involvement in England’s run to third place at this summer’s World Cup, Rashford watched United’s friendly with Leeds in Dublin play out from the sidelines. With a few more days of training under his belt, the 28-year-old was included in the traveling squad for Saturday’s clash against Milan and, most significantly for the winger, Amorim.Kobbie Mainoo could also get some minutes against a manager who repeatedly sidelined him throughout their shared time at Old Trafford, while World Cup finalist Lisandro Martínez—a player who reportedly had an “intense” bust-up with Amorim before his exit in January—may also feature.Given the personnel potentially involved, it threatens to be a friendly in name only.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow