- Marcus Rashford has completed a loan move from Man United to Aston Villa
- A buy option has been included in his deal after his exile by Ruben Amorim
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Ollie Watkins to Arsenal? It’s terrible planning from Arsenal… it’s all a bit late and panicked from the Gunners!
Marcus Rashford has completed his loan move to Aston Villa and sealed his exit from Manchester United.
The 27-year-old underwent his medical on Sunday evening having already agreed to a move to Villa Park, after falling out of favour under United boss Ruben Amorim.
Confirming the news on Sunday night, the club wrote: ‘Aston Villa is delighted to announce the loan signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.
‘The England international, capped 60 times by the Three Lions, joins Villa on a deal until the end of the season. Welcome, Marcus!’
Rashford took to Instagram to relay the news to his followers, writing: ‘I would like to thank Manchester United and Aston Villa for making this loan deal happen.
‘I was lucky to have a few clubs approach me but Aston Villa was an easy decision – I really admire the way that Aston Villa have been playing this season, and the managers’ ambitions. I just want to play football and am excited to get started.
‘I wish everyone at Manchester United all the best for the rest of the season’.
Meanwhile, on their club website, United wrote: ‘Everyone at Manchester United wishes Marcus good luck for the rest of the season.’
The deal will be an initial loan until the end of the season but it will also include an option for Villa to sign Rashford permanently for a pre-agreed fee, which is understood to be £40million.
It is understood that Villa will cover 70 per cent of his wages, while the loan package will include bonuses for progressing in Europe and for qualifying for the Champions League again next season.
Rashford has not played for United since mid-December when he fell out with head coach Ruben Amorim.
The 27-year-old had been at United since he was eight years old and has never played senior club football for another team.
Rashford – who has 138 United goals to his name after making 426 senior appearances for the Old Trafford outfit – said goodbye to his team-mates on Saturday.
Speaking on Rashford’s exit, United legend Gary Neville admitted there was a ‘tinge of sadness’ over the manner in which the academy product was leaving the club.
He said: ‘I feel a number of emotions… a tinge of sadness. Thinking of Marcus Rashford as an eight, nine-year-old United academy player, scoring 30 goals a couple of years ago and being on top of his game, on and off the pitch, but the deterioration in the last couple of years has been alarming.
‘It is an absolute must that he has to get out of Manchester United and Old Trafford, and I feel sad saying that even a few weeks ago, let alone a few months ago.
‘I thought when Ruben Amorim came in, we would see a clean slate – it has got 10 times worse under Amorim than it was under Ten Hag in the sense that some of the things that have been said by his manager have been absolutely brutal.
‘He’s only been with him five or six weeks and they are a stain on his character.
‘So he needs to get out, get the freedom away from Old Trafford and spend time at another club’.
Having entered the set-up aged seven, Rashford stepped into the first-team in 2016.
During his time at the club, Rashford has helped them seal two FA Cups, two League Cups and one Europa League title.
Amorim has publicly questioned Rashford’s lifestyle and commitment and warned him he must change if he were to have any hope of breaking back into his plans.
Villa’s need for attacking reinforcements was sparked by Jhon Duran completing a £65m move to Al-Nassr earlier this week.
Duran was Villa’s leading scorer this season with 12 goals.
Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins – who has bagged 11 goals this season – suffered an injury scare on Saturday night and was subbed off at half-time in Villa’s 2-0 defeat at Wolves.
Meanwhile, Man United’s search for a Rashford replacement hit a stumbling block on Sunday evening after talks with Bayern Munich over Mathys Tel fell through.
United were given encouragement that the 19-year old wanted to join them but they have been unable to find a solution with Bayern over a loan deal and payment terms and a resolution is now considered ‘unlikely’.
United maintain an interest in Chelsea‘s Christopher Nkunku but that is considered difficult also at this stage and other options are being explored.
