Marcus Rashford’s Aston Villa contract, Man Utd ‘asking price’ and dig at Amorim

Marcus Rashford may have struggled to make an impact in his England return on Friday night but the forward has smile back on his face at Aston Villa to suggest no way back at Manchester United

In a little less than seven weeks, Marcus Rashford has gone from unwanted at Manchester United to a Champions League quarter-finalist at Aston Villa who is back in the England starting XI.

And while his performance in Friday night’s 2-0 win over Albania led to new head coach Thomas Tuchel demanding more impact, there is evidence that Rashford should do all his can to make his departure from Old Trafford permanent this summer.

But it may not be straightforward with the financial reality likely to have a big say on what happens to one of the country’s most talented players as he looks to find his way back to a consistently high level.

Here is how things stand and what we know a couple of months out from clarity around Rashford’s future.

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Villa agreement

When Rashford completed his loan switch at the end of the winter window, it was widely reported that Villa had an option – not an obligation – to buy him for £40m.

A knockdown price for Rashford at his best but, at the time, a risk considering how below that level he has performed for much of the past 18 months.

United sources also suggested that Villa would be paying three-quarters of his £325,000-a-week salary – making him by some distance the best-paid player in Unai Emery ’s squad.

And his return to the Three Lions fold has led some to believe United could look for more than was initially agreed with their Premier League rivals. But with Villa in a strong negotiating position, it remains to be seen whether they could actually do so.

What do United want?

It is not crystal clear but all signals are that the owners will look to move on their biggest earners to enable Ruben Amorim a chance to refresh a stale and under-performing squad.

As a cost-saving measure – something that Ineos have made clear is the top priority – it makes abundant sense for Rashford to be sold but there remains a lingering feeling that Rashford belongs at his boyhood club. His United deal continues until the summer of 2028.

Amorim, meanwhile, has made it clear that he only wants players willing to give it their all – and his comments after the win against Fulham in January signalled that Rashford, in the coach’s opinion, was not putting the work in.

Players make feelings clear

Rashford, unsurprisingly, has been quiet throughout this save for a couple of social media posts.

But current Villa team-mates John McGinn is never afraid to make his views known and recent comments point to Rashford finding some happiness in his game again – while suggesting he was not enjoying it under Amorim.

Discussing Rashford and another recent arrival in Marco Asensio, McGinn said: “They have maybe lost their way for certain reasons but what they’ll get from us is love and support and team-mates who will graft for them. We want them to be happy again.

“And every day that you see them, they have a smile on their face. That’s when you know footballers are happy and at their best. If we can get those two firing, they’re a pair that every club in the country would take.”

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