ace is set to hold off on deciding his future until the summer. Currently on loan at Aston Villa, Rashford has been thriving, with a source close to the 27-year-old revealing he's "never been happier" than he is playing for the Villans. His loan club an option to snap up Rashford permanently for £40million at the end of the season.
But the forward is poised to postpone any firm decision on a summer switch, given the possibility of attracting attention from more prominent clubs. Barcelona briefly mulled over making a move for Rashford during the winter transfer window. Rashford's ambition is to play for a Champions League side and he's not keen on relocating to London, despite past links to Arsenal and Tottenham before his February switch to Villa.
Furthermore, Rashford's entourage have ruled out a swap deal, following speculation that United might be open to exchanging him for Villa's Ollie Watkins.
After a fallout with head coach Ruben Amorim just six games into the Portuguese's reign, it seems unlikely that United would consider welcoming Rashford back into the fold.
Rashford's pivotal role in Villa's Champions League quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain and his recent return to the England squad have cemented his status as one of United's most marketable players. The Red Devils are hopeful of raking in close to £100m from the potential sales of forwards Rashford, Antony, and Jadon Sancho.
Marcus Rashford has been on fine form for Aston Villa, netting four times in 17 outings and was once again preferred over Watkins in the starting line-up during their narrow 2-1 loss to Manchester City on Tuesday. This result keeps Villa in seventh place, but they're setting sights on Crystal Palace for the FA Cup semi-final this Saturday, aiming for a spot in the final which they haven't seen since 2000.
Villa's boss Unai Emery couldn't hide his satisfaction with Rashford's impact: "I am so happy with him, he is performing very well. His adaptation has been quick, his commitment to the team and his team mates and the process we are doing together.
"He has been really important for us and he has to keep going. Now, on Saturday, hopefully he can help us again and, like everybody, be ready and focused on this match."
The financials of Rashford's loan deal see Villa covering 75 per cent of his wages, potentially increasing to 90 per cent based on performance incentives.
Both United and Rashford have maintained silence regarding the precise reasons behind his fallout with Amorim and the subsequent move. Rashford found himself left out of 11 out of 12 possible squad selections and hadn't played since December 12 before his mid-season switch.
Rashford scored just 15 goals in 18 months following an impressive 30-goal haul in the 2022-23 season. However, his relationship with former manager Erik ten Hag was strained due to disciplinary issues.
Rashford was reprimanded for attending a birthday bash shortly after a 3-0 loss to Manchester City in October 2023 and for partying in Belfast just before the 2024 season kick-off.
This article first appeared on the
