Aston Villa are expected to begin groundwork for the permanent signing of Marcus Rashford after being thoroughly impressed by his performances since his arrival.
Rashford joined Unai Emery’s side on loan in the final days of the January transfer window following a falling out with Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim. Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag mid-season, notably left Rashford out of Manchester United’s squad for the Manchester derby, citing training performances, professionalism, and tactical considerations.
Since then, Rashford was frozen out of the first team and while several clubs, including Barcelona, expressed interest in signing him, Villa successfully secured the England international on a loan deal that reportedly includes a £40 million option to buy in the summer.
Aston Villa already planning Rashford’s permanent move
Former Villa and Man United scout Mick Brown has now claimed that he expects the Villans to be “putting plans in place” to make Rashford’s move permanent.
He explains how Unai Emery’s set up at Villa is bringing the best out of Rashford and that if the player continues to perform the way he is, the club will make want to keep him beyond his loan spell.
Speaking to Football Insider, Brown said:
“Marcus Rashford is a very, very good player. What he does, and what he’s going so far for Aston Villa, is he gives them pace in behind.
“When they win the ball back, he’s off running between the full-back and centre-back, looking for the ball to be played over or through them.
“It’s a great out-ball for Villa’s midfield and defenders, because you can give him the ball and he’ll drag you further up the field.
“At Man United, he would do that, but then they’d expect him to be back covering straight away if they lost possession.
“At Villa, their team is more organised and set up in a way that he is still expected to get back, but there are players who are prepared to cover for him.
“That allows him to perform to his best level at what he does without worrying about everything else.
“It’s the ideal situation for him, really, and they’re getting the benefits of it already.
“He’ll have to keep up the form he has shown so far, but if he can do that there’s no reason they won’t want to keep him beyond this season.
“He’s doing all the things elite forwards can do – so on that basis I expect Villa will be putting plans in place to make a move in the summer.
“The only issue then is the money involved, because if he’s playing out of his skin, United are going to want a big fee for him.”
Marcus Rashford has made an immediate impact at Villa
Rashford has hit the ground running at Villa Park, looking sharp and dangerous in attack. The 27-year-old has already assisted two goals in four appearances, impressing the fans with his performances.
His standout performance came against Chelsea, where he came off the bench in the second half and provided two crucial assists for Marco Asensio, helping Villa overturn a 1-0 deficit to secure a 2-1 victory.
Rashford’s impact at Villa raises questions about whether Manchester United’s struggles go beyond on-pitch issues.
The versatile attacker who has 138 goals and 63 assists for United struggled for form at United but looks to be back to his best under Emery. And he is not the only United player who has rediscovered form away from Old Trafford.
Antony, another highly-rated winger who failed to make an impact at United, was loaned out to Real Betis in January. He has been sensational for the Spanish club, scoring two goals and assisting another two in four games.
If Rashford continues his impressive form, there is every reason to believe Aston Villa will push to make the move permanent in the summer. That said, there transfer plans could be ruined by Barcelona, with recent report stating that the player is hopeful that he can get his dream move to the Spanish giants next season.
