Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford took to social media to pre-emptively defend himself against a tabloid hit that threatened to publish a photo of the footballer with an unnamed rapper.
Rashford did not identify the individual and strongly insisted that he had no existing or subsequent relationship with him other than posing for a picture.
“I was contacted today by a tabloid and informed that they plan to publish a photo of me with a rapper that was allegedly taken a year ago,” United wrote on Instagram. “I want to make it clear that I have never seen this photo, I do not know this person and I am not friends with them.
“Like most footballers, if someone asks for a photo with me, I will never refuse, but obviously I am not able to check the background of every individual who asks for a photo of me.
“Can I please encourage the tabloids to, instead of focusing on me, use their platforms to help raise positive awareness of the many charities and individuals who work every day in the UK to tackle knife crime to would prevent more families from suffering tragic losses.”
Rashford he concluded his post with the message: “My deepest condolences go out to the family of Jimmy Mizen.”
Jimmy Mizen died outside a bakery in south London on 10 May 2008 when he was 16 after being hit by a glass container which severed an artery in his neck. Jake Farhi, then 19, was convicted of murder in 2009 and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum sentence of 14 years.
Released in 2023, Farhi recently found himself under investigation by the Department of Justice after reports claimed he released music under the stage name TEN that referenced Mizen’s murder, according to BBC.
Jimmy Mizen’s parents, Margaret and Barry, set up the Mizen Foundation as a charity to help “build safer and more peaceful communities”.
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