Marcus Rashford makes shock Aston Villa U-turn as Manchester United twist drops
Marcus Rashford has changed his mind about Aston Villa just days before returning to Manchester United.
The England international has had an upturn in form since joining Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season in the winter transfer window, bagging four goals and six assists in 17 games across all competitions.
While Rashford suffered a crushing blow after picking up a hamstring injury, which appears to have ruled him out for the season, in April, he has certainly rekindled his career under Unai Emery.
The 27-year-old is now at a crossroads in his career, as he faces an uncertain future ahead of returning to Manchester United at the end of his loan deal at Villa Park.
Rashford wants to stay at Aston Villa
While Rashford does not have a place at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim, Aston Villa are in a position to trigger the £40million option to make his move permanent.
However, there have been claims that the forward is still dreaming of a move to Barcelona, much to the Villans’ disappointment.
In a sudden turn of events, it has emerged that Rashford is now more open to staying at the Birmingham-based club than moving abroad.
The experience of playing under Emery has swayed the Manchester United loanee towards staying at Aston Villa, according to The Express.
| Matches | Goals | Assists |
| 17 | 4 | 6 |
The newspaper reported via their website on Wednesday (14 May) that Aston Villa could try and lower the £40m fee in the meantime.
However, Rashford’s £350,000-a-week salary remains a stumbling block, as it would make him the highest-paid player at Villa Park by a significant margin.
Villa’s hopes of buying the Englishman also depend on them qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
Pini Zahavi hard at work over Rashford transfer
Meanwhile, Rashford has tasked Pini Zahavi to seek a potential transfer to Barcelona in case Aston Villa cannot meet his financial demands.
There are no guarantees that Emery’s side will trigger the clause to make the forward’s loan from Manchester United permanent, especially if they fail to secure Champions League qualification.
It is worth noting that Villa’s home game against Tottenham on Friday (16 May) is the last game he is eligible to play for them, as things stand, as they play his parent club, Manchester United, in their final match next Sunday (25 May).