OFFICIAL: Aston Villa announce Rashford loan deal

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Premier League club Aston Villa have announced the loan acquisition of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.

The England international, who has 60 caps for the Three Lions, joins Villa on a deal until the end of the season.

In over 400 appearances for United, Rashford has scored 138 goals. He came through the ranks at Old Trafford and has gone on to lift the Europa League, two FA Cups and two League Cups.

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Also, due to his versatility, Rashford is capable of playing in any position along the front line. He has scored 17 goals for England having represented his country at two World Cups and two European Championships.

Why is Rashford being loaned out?

Since being dropped for the Manchester derby on 12 December, Rashford has not played under Ruben Amorim.

Despite dropping the 27-year-old, Amorim recently acknowledged that United would be stronger with him. However, he also made it clear that the forward had not met his expected standards.

In recent weeks, Rashford’s representatives had been in discussions with multiple top European clubs to assess potential interest. With the transfer window nearing its end, reports suggested his future remained undecided, with both Premier League and overseas clubs keeping a close eye.

At a time, a permanent transfer had not been ruled out entirely, however a loan move appeared to be the most likely outcome.

Villa showed enough interest in signing the player and obviously, a big reason Rashford is joining them is their Champions League participation.

To be candid, Barcelona also presented a compelling option, and it was reported in multiple tabloids that the La Liga giants remained Rashford’s preferred choice. The only concern was whether they had the financial flexibility to complete a deal.

Departures and reinforcements

Aston Villa already lost Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League (SPL) team Al-Nassr, leaving Ollie Watkins as the only recognised striker in the club. Assists merchant Moussa Diaby also left the club for another SPL side Al-Ittihad back in 2024.

In another development, former Real Madrid star Marco Asensio is expected to join Villa on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. The announcement for the capture of the Spaniard is expected to be made in few hours from now.

Tags: Marcus Rashford, Aston Villa, Manchester United, England, Three Lions, Old Trafford, #NewsRoundTheClock, #nrtcnewsnigeria, #nrtcnews, #nrtcnigeria, #nrtcsports, Marco Asensio, Jhon Duran, Ollie Watkins, Moussa Diaby.