Aston Villa to send Marcus Rashford back to Man United – ‘Crucial’ update
Aston Villa could stand “absolutely no chance” of signing Marcus Rashford permanently following a new verdict on the Man United loanee’s future.
The England international has hit the ground running since arriving at Villa Park in February, with Villa fans pushing for Rashford to sign from the Red Devils on a permanent deal this summer.
He has notched three goals and five assists in all competitions, firing on all cylinders alongside Paris Saint-Germain loanee Marco Asensio, but it might not be enough to achieve success this season.
Unai Emery’s side, who were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG recently, will be desperate to qualify for the competition for the 2025/26 campaign, but certainly face a challenge in doing so.
The Villans are just one point outside the top-five spots, with the Premier League given an extra European position, but Nottingham Forest, Man City, and Chelsea are all battling for the spaces too.
Ex-Villa boss Tim Sherwood spoke about how important it is that Villa beat those teams to the Champions League, suggesting that any dreams of a move for Rashford this summer could completely disappear.
Unai Emery at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification
Speaking live on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (19 April, 2:20pm), Sherwood said: “It’s crucial. To get into the Champions League means a lot for players’ careers.
“I’ll use Marcus Rashford as an example here. There is absolutely no chance they will ever take Rashford if they’re not in the Champions League. They won’t be able to afford to do it.
“At £40million, plus his wages, he’s got an opportunity if he’s enjoyed his time there, which I’m sure he has, and he’s got one of the best managers in the league looking after him.”
But he added: “If they finish in the Champions League spots, they will take Marcus Rashford, and pay the wages and pay the fee that Man United want.”
| Premier League standings | Points |
| 3. Newcastle United | 59 |
| 4. Nottingham Forest | 57 |
| 5. Man City | 55 |
| 6. Chelsea | 54 |
| 7. Aston Villa | 54 |
Aston Villa fans to be left disappointed by Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio
Football Insider verdict
Permanent deals for both Rashford and Asensio likely rely on Villa qualifying for the Champions League, and even after reaching the quarter-finals of the competition, that is not guaranteed.
Emery has certainly earned his plaudits at Villa Park over the last couple of seasons, but there is still a lot left to accomplish, which has led to some uncertainty ahead of the summer transfer window.
The manager might be about to force Ollie Watkins out of the Villa exit doors, with the trusted striker often snubbed in favour of Rashford, but now he could be left without a recognised striker.
While the latter would likely not be against the move this summer, his demands and his parent club’s transfer fee could throw a spanner in the works before talks even begin over a deal.
Those two scenarios would already hand Emery quite the setback, and with no Champions League football, it becomes all the more difficult to persuade new players to join.