Marcus Rashford has spoken out against a tabloid newspaper’s alleged plan to publish a photo of him with a convicted murderer. The Manchester United and England forward took to Instagram to address the issue, asserting he has no personal connection to the individual in question.
The tabloid reportedly holds an image of Rashford alongside rapper Jake Fahri, who performs under the stage name TEN. Fahri was convicted in 2009 of murdering 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen and served a minimum 14-year sentence before his release.
In his Instagram Story, Rashford wrote:
“I want to make it clear I have never seen this photo, I do not know this person, and I am not friends with him. Like most footballers, if someone asks for a photo with me, I will never refuse, but I am obviously not able to do a background check on every individual that asks me for a photo.”
Rashford used the opportunity to call on tabloids to shift their focus toward social issues, saying:
“Can I please urge tabloids, rather than focusing on me, to use their platforms to help raise awareness of the many charities and individuals that work daily throughout the UK to tackle knife crime to prevent more families suffering tragic loss.”
The footballer also expressed sympathy for the family of Jimmy Mizen.
This isn’t the first time Rashford has found himself at the center of controversy over photos with public figures. In 2022, a picture of him with grime artist Wiley surfaced. Wiley had previously been banned from social media for antisemitic posts. At the time, Rashford apologized for any distress caused, stating he was unaware of the artist’s controversial past.
Rashford’s latest comments come amid a challenging period in his career. The 27-year-old has been sidelined by Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim and is reportedly seeking a move away from his boyhood club.
As the story unfolds, Rashford remains steadfast in using his platform to address larger societal issues, urging the media to do the same.
