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Aston Villa signed Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United for the rest of the season.
Marcus Rashford last played for Manchester United in December last year. (AP Photo)
A 20-year love affair with Manchester United comes to an end for Marcus Rashford, who has officially signed for Aston Villa on loan till the end of the current season, after his rift with manager Ruben Amorim.
Aston Villa announced the 27-year-old’s arrival to Villa Park, unveiling the England winger on their official social media channels.
The signing of Rashford comes hot on the heels of Villa losing out on swahbuckling striker Jhon Duran, who signed for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr late last month for a whopping £64 million ($80m).
“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 manager’s ambitions,” said Rashford in a Villa statement.
“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,” he added.
According to reputed football insider Fabrizio Romano, an agreement has been set in in place for Villa to cover 70 percent of Rashford’s £325,000-a-week salary in a loan for the rest of the season.
It has also been reported that the loan comes with a £40m ($49.5m/€48.8m) buy option, with a potential three-and-a-half-year deal to follow.
For Rashford, the move signifies an opportunity to play his way back into form and to reinvent himself after his inability to break into the starting ranks at Old Trafford under new manager Ruben Amorim.
Rashford has not played for United since a Europa League tie against Viktoria Plzen in December and was excluded from the Red Devils’ final UEFA Europa League group stage fixture as well.
Amorim had earlier made it clear for all to hear that it is the winger’s lacklustre ability in training that has led to Rashford warming the bench for his teammates.
Rashford had also been looking to leave Old Trafford since admitting he was ready for a “new challenge” after being dropped by United boss Ruben Amorim for the Manchester derby in December.
So, after 426 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 138 goals and notching 63 assists, Rashford now makes his forst foray away from Manchester, with Villa aiming to rejuvenate their side with the aid of the Englishman.
