Marcus Rashford would rather stay at Aston Villa than move abroad this summer. The 27-year-old joined on loan from Manchester United in February and has relished his return to first-team action after being frozen out by Ruben Amorim.
Villa have a £40million option to make the move permanent, although their transfer plans could hinge on which European competition they qualify for. Rashford had looked favourably upon a prospective move to Barcelona in the winter, but Express Sport understands that a successful spell working with manager Unai Emery – under whom he has scored four goals and registered five assists – has swayed him towards staying at Villa Park.
Rashford will have a say on his next move but whether or not he makes a permanent switch to the West Midlands is not entirely down to him. Villa may yet try to negotiate their £40m option down, but the major sticking point is his whopping £350,000-a-week wage.
That figure would make him the highest-paid Villa player by some distance, and it could also be an off-putting factor for Barca. Reports suggest that Rashford has teamed up with agent Pini Zahavi to scout out a move to the Catalan club as there is no guarantee that Villa are willing to meet his financial demands – particularly if they miss out on Champions League qualification.
Rashford is under contract at United until 2028 but a return to Old Trafford is deemed highly unlikely.
It remains to be seen whether other interested parties enter the equation this summer following links to Borussia Dortmund, clubs in Serie A and sides in the Saudi Pro League earlier this year.
Some Villa fans fear they have already seen the last of Rashford in claret and blue due to a hamstring injury he picked up last month. The forward, who can play through the middle or on the left wing, underwent a warm-weather rehabilitation program in Dubai to try and speed up his recovery, and a return before the end of the season has not been categorically ruled out.
That being said, Friday’s clash at home to Tottenham is the last game Rashford will be eligible to play in, as Villa travel to Old Trafford on the final day.
Rashford ended a year-long absence from the England squad in March, and getting fit for Thomas Tuchel’s second round of games next month is a high priority.