Van Gaal likens Rashford to Kluivert

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has likened teen sensation Marcus Rashford to another of his former teen stars in Patrick Kluivert.

Van Gaal ushered the brilliant Dutch striker through the Ajax youth system and into the first team in 1994 and he would go on to make a huge impact, winning the Champions League in his debut season.

After becoming an unlikely Champions League winner in Van Gaal’s Ajax team, Kluivert went on to have a tremendous career, going on to play for Barcelona and AC Milan among others.

Rashford has some way to go to emulating those feats, but the 18-year-old has certainly impressed in his debut season, scoring seven goals in his first 13 appearances for the club.

“He has the same figure as Patrick, but Patrick was more already developed in body weight as well, but I think that’s a matter of time with Rashford,” he said.

“But what Kluivert was in my first year at Ajax is Rashford now in my second year at United.”

Rashford is a likely inclusion in Van Gaal’s squad for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Everton at Wembley.