Rashford ready to quit Aston Villa, transfer acceptance reached
Marcus Rashford remains highly unlikely to return to the Manchester United fold while Ruben Amorim is still in charge, following his loan with Aston Villa.
The forward added to his goals tally on Tuesday night (22 April) as Villa were cruelly beaten by United’s city rivals Manchester City in a blow to their top-five hopes.
Rashford however remains at loggerheads with Amorim and sees his future so far look non-existent at Old Trafford, with clubs from far and wide circling with interest.
Aston Villa to also lose out on Rashford
Despite Rashford having enjoyed his football at Aston Villa, the 27-year-old could also move on from the Premier League altogether rather than consider a permanent deal at Villa Park.
Any club signing him would have to be wary of his mammoth pay packet, though Villa maintain a £40million option to make his loan deal a permanent one.
According to the Mirror (23 April), Rashford is keen to move abroad this summer and leave the Premier League altogether, with Spain an “attractive option” and Champions League football also a prerequisite.
The representatives of the recently-recalled Three Lions forward are keen to leave discussions over his future until mid-June, which is when the ‘saga’ will resume at Old Trafford.
Rashford still has three more years left on his lucrative deal at Man United, who will be without European football altogether if they do not win the Europa League this season.
Ollie Watkins swap deal not on the cards
Unai Emery has made headlines in recent weeks for selecting Rashford over England teammate Watkins in certain matches this season, namely against Paris Saint-Germain and Man City.
Watkins has publicly revealed his anger at the decision, and used it as fuel against Newcastle United when he returned to Emery’s XI with a goal inside the first minute, and a further assist.
The potential idea of Watkins heading to Man United in an exchange for Rashford has been bandied about, but Rashford’s entourage have ruled that avenue out.
| Aston Villa – remaining competitions | Progress |
| Premier League | 7th – P34 PTS57 GD+5 |
| FA Cup | Semi-final v Crystal Palace, 26 April |
Watkins could still be tempted to leave Villa Park this summer, as he turns 30 this year and has found his starting place to remain in doubt even after Jhon Duran left in January.
As for Rashford, you sense this is the calm before the storm. For now, he could have a major contribution in a decorated Aston Villa season.