Wayne Rooney calls for Marcus Rashford to leave Aston Villa for Man United
Wayne Rooney hopes Aston Villa are unable to keep hold of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio this summer.
Despite producing a spirted comeback against PSG at Villa Park in the quarter-final second-leg of the Champions League, Villa crashed out of the competition following a 5-4 defeat on aggregate.
Unai Emery‘s side went two behind on the night as both full-backs for the visitors, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, got on the scoresheet.
Efforts from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa had the French champions worried, however the all important final goal did not come.
After the final whistle, former Manchester United captain Rooney, said that Villa need to qualify for the Champions League next year in order to keep their star loanees at the club while admitting that “I hope they don’t” as he wants Rashford to play the way he did vs PSG back at Man United.
Wayne Rooney ‘hopes they don’t’ keep ahold of Rashford in the summer
Speaking live on Amazon Prime Video (10.10pm, 15 April), Rooney said: “The big thing for them now is definitely finishing in the Champions League [places] because you see [Marco] Asensio, Rashford.
“For them to keep hold of them players, and I hope they don’t, I hope Marcus Rashford goes back to Manchester United and performs like he did tonight because that’s what we all want as Man United fans.
“To keep them players, or to attract players to play in the Champions League, they have to finish in the Champions League. It’ll be a waste if they don’t finish in the Champions League spots this season.”
Unai Emery’s side looking to finish the season strongly
Football Insider Verdict
After almost producing one of the greatest comebacks in the competition’s history, the Villa fans will be hoping for more memorable nights like these next season.
It shows what a fortress Villa Park can be with the buzz of European giants coming to visit and the affect it can have in lifting the players to the occasion.
However, following the comedown of emotions by the morning after, Emery will be hit with the reality that his side need to qualify for the Champions League in the final stage of their league campaign.
The Villians will need to pick themselves up ahead of their clash with the in-form Newcastle at the weekend, in what could play a crucial role in deciding which between the two finish in the top five.
Villa currently sit seventh in the table, one-point off Manchester City, who occupy the final space in the hunt Champions League qualification.