Aston Villa told why Rashford is NOT the answer as different Man Utd transfer takes shape

Steve Pearson 09 Apr 2025 10:09 PM

Aston Villa winger Marcus Rashford, manager Unai Emery

A former Manchester United star has explained why Marcus Rashford isn’t right for Unai Emery and Aston Villa in the long term, while a report claims a transfer out of England is beginning to take shape.

Rashford was quickly marginalised by Ruben Amorim upon taking the reins at Old Trafford, with the Man Utd boss adopting a dim view of the winger’s attitude and application. After repeatedly being omitted from United’s matchday squads Rashford was given the green light to leave in January.

After links to numerous European giants including Barcelona, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund came and went, it was Aston Villa who ultimately struck a deal at the behest of manager Unai Emery.

Rashford has dazzled in a Villa shirt thus far, notching three goals and four assists. The loanee was even given the nod to start ahead of Ollie Watkins in the first leg of Villa’s Champions League quarter-final clash with PSG on Wednesday night.

Villa successfully inserted an option to buy Rashford for £40m in the summer. Yet despite the early signs looking positive, former United goalkeeper, Ben Foster, has explained why Villa could and perhaps should opt against forging a permanent deal.

Speaking on his Fozcast podcast, the ex-England international pointed to Rashford’s display in the 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend.

In Foster’s eyes, Rashford does not have enough dimensions to his game and his inability – or perhaps unwillingness – to put himself about physically makes him a poor fit for Emery’s demands.

“I don’t know if Rashford is going to be the answer,” began Foster (as quoted by the Mirror). “When he came on in the Forest game the other day, they were 2-0 up at the time and I was thinking, ‘What would Rashford’s objectives be here?’

“I think when Emery brought him on, he would’ve said, ‘right Marcus, we’re 2-0 up and Forest had some good chances in that first half. I’m going to need you to get hold of the ball for me. I’m going to need you to try and get it down and get us up the pitch’.

“There were a couple of times where they went long to him, and he was not willing to stick his head up there. He’s not willing to get hurt physically and the ball just came back.”

Different Marcus Rashford transfer takes shape

As mentioned, Villa hold an option to buy Rashford, though it’s important to stress it is not an obligation.

Rashford has performed well during his loan spell thus far, but Villa won’t make a decision one way or the other until knowing what European competition – if any – they’ll feature in next season.

Failure to land European football and the financial flexibility that brings would understandably make Villa less likely to sanction £40m signings, for example.

That is not ideal news for Man Utd who TEAMtalk has learned fully intend to sell the winger in the summer. Whether it’s to Villa or another club, United have already determined they want to strike a deal and agree a sale.

And thankfully for the Red Devils, a new suitor in the form of recently-crowned Ligue 1 Champions, PSG, have entered the frame.

L’Equipe brought news earlier this week of PSG re-igniting their interest in Rashford. The club’s admiration of the player dates all the way back to 2022 and fresh contacts have reportedly been opened by the club’s senior advisor, Luis Campos.

PSG already boast an embarrassment of riches in the final third, with manager Luis Enrique able to call upon Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue.

Yet PSG are hoping to oversee an unprecedented period of domination that extends into the Champions League too and one more explosive option for the forward line is reportedly being sought.