Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has revealed that he would not have been 100 per cent fit for the Euro Cup this year if it had gone ahead as planned.
Rashford has a total of 19 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions for United in 2019-20 before being sidelined due to a back fracture earlier this year.
The 22-year-old was expected to be out for three months, but Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clarified that it was unclear whether Rashford would be making his return before the end of this season.
"Yeah, you know, for me, I was probably going to go back with the team towards the middle or end of April. But that would have been a push, obviously, because I didn't want to miss the summer," official website of Manchester United quoted Rashford as saying.
"I doubt I would have been 100 per cent fit going into that tournament, or even finishing off the season, but that's what we were aiming for. Obviously, since then, a lot's happened with this virus so, for my body really, it's been good to give it its full duration to rest," he added.
Currently, the Premier League has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Rashford has said that the self-isolation is helping him in the recovery process.
"Yeah, it's good. Obviously, I need to step it up a little bit now, but it's difficult to do with not being in the training ground," Rashford said.
"I've just added a few bits and pieces -- I'm pushing myself on the bike, and doing more core work and upper body, so just day-by-day really, taking it slow," he added.
Euro Cup 2020 has been postponed to next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rashford also credited former team manager Jose Mourinho for making him a better player.
Rashford had played under Mourinho from the beginning of the 2016-17 season until the removal of the Portugese coach in December 2018.
With Mourinho, Rashford won the Carabao Cup and Europa League tournament wins to his kitty.
"It was tough but I think when you look back on it in five or six years, they're the moments that give you that mental toughness. As an all-round player I've improved a lot and a lot of it is down to those two years under Jose," Rashford said.
"We had ups and downs. When I look back at it, it was a tough period but definitely a period that made me a better player," he added.
