Shearer makes ‘now or never’ Rashford claim after what he’s seen at Aston Villa
Alan Shearer is not entirely convinced by Marcus Rashford and his recent run of form at Aston Villa.
Rashford was considered a lost cause at Manchester United, but has had an upturn in form since joining Aston Villa on loan in the winter transfer window.
The England international has had great joy under Unai Emery, bagging three goals and six assists in 15 appearances across all competitions.
His performance in the Villans’ 3-2 UEFA Champions League win against PSG on Tuesday (15 April) has even convinced many Manchester United fans to welcome him back at Old Trafford.
Rashford in last chance saloon – Shearer
Shearer has been impressed by Rashford‘s recent run of form, but believes he has not “proved the doubters wrong”, contrary to what many feel.
The Newcastle icon insisted on the need for the 27-year-old to remain consistent for four years, whether at Aston Villa or elsewhere, to get people back on his side.
He poured cold water on the possibility of Rashford returning to Manchester United, but left the door open for a permanent switch to Aston Villa, having found his ‘swagger’ back there.
| Matches | Starts | Minutes | Goals | Assists |
| 15 | 9 | 856′ | 3 | 6 |
Shearer pointed out that the forward has struggled under multiple managers at United and is of the view that it is ‘now or never’ for him at Villa Park.
“It’s not just one manager who has failed to get the best out of Rashford at Manchester United”, Shearer wrote in his column on the Betfair website (18 April).
“If it were one manager, you’d say ‘okay I get it, maybe he doesn’t get on with them or there’s a clash of personalities’.
“But it’s not just been one manager who has struggled to get the best out of him. I guess also, he knows he’s in last chance saloon at Aston Villa and it’s now or never, so he has to play well.
“He’s been given an incredible opportunity at a huge football club, with a brilliant manager. So from that point of view, he has to perform, which he is and it’s really good to see.
“He’s definitely got his swagger back, but he has to show it on a consistent basis now and keep it up for the next three or four years.
“Wherever he ends up, at Aston Villa or elsewhere. He’s clearly not going to end up at Man Utd so long as Ruben Amorim is manager, so he’ll have to move on.”
Aston Villa to lose Rashford this summer
Aston Villa have the option to make Rashford’s loan move from Manchester United permanent for £40million.
Considering the Villans’ progress under Emery, there is no reason why they cannot afford that much money.
However, the Englishman may have to reduce his £350,000 a week salary to help the transfer come to fruition.
Therefore, it would not be a surprise if he left Villa Park at the end of the season, especially as he still dreams of a move to Barcelona.
PSG are also long-term admirers of the Manchester United academy graduate, meaning he may not be short of options after all.