The Marcus Rashford era at Manchester United appears to be over.
After manager Ruben Amorim essentially axed the longtime Red Devils forward from the first team, Rashford is now on his way to Aston Villa on a loan deal.
Via Fabrizio Romano:
“Marcus Rashford has agreed personal terms with Aston Villa! Deal imminent after initial green light in the morning. Understand Villa and Manchester United are closing in on loan deal, discussing buy option clause. Emery called Rashford, player attracted by project & UCL football,” Romano wrote.
As Romano mentioned, there will be a buy option in the deal. This is actually a fantastic move for Rashford because of Villa's current situation with their attack. Colombian Jhon Duran, who was breaking out as a potential star for the Lions, just shockingly joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr despite being just 21 years old. Rashford could very well be his immediate replacement.
While the Englishman has made just 15 appearances this term, he's still bagged four goals. Rashford hasn't played in the last 12 matches across all competitions for Manchester United after publicly saying he's ready for a new challenge.
Villa boss Unai Emery is reportedly a huge admirer of Rashford and personally told the club to discuss a possible loan deal with the Red Devils for the 27-year-old. Rashford was on the radar of clubs across Europe during the January transfer window, with AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and Barcelona all showing interest.
But Rashford was determined to stay in the Premier League, and now he also gets the opportunity to play Champions League football again. Villa booked their ticket into the Round of 16 this past week with a top-eight spot, securing an emphatic 4-2 victory over Scottish giants Celtic.
Rashford is one of the highest earners at Manchester United and remains under contract with the prestigious club until 2028. However, it's hard to imagine there's any going back at this point. Rashford came up through the Red Devils academy and enjoyed an impressive run with his boyhood club, but a fresh start may be the best option for him moving forward.