Marcus Rashford has completed a loan move to Aston Villa, both Premier League clubs have confirmed, ending a challenging period for the England forward after being sidelined at Manchester United. The 26-year-old, who has earned 60 caps for England, will remain at Villa Park until the end of the 2024-25 season. Expressing his enthusiasm for the move, Rashford shared his thoughts on social media late on Sunday.
“I was fortunate to have several clubs approach me, but choosing Aston Villa was an easy decision. I really admire how they have been playing this season and the ambition of the manager. I just want to play football and can’t wait to get started,” he said.
Rashford also expressed gratitude to both clubs for facilitating the deal. “I would like to thank Manchester United and Aston Villa for making this loan move possible. I wish everyone at United the best for the rest of the season,” he added. Having come through United’s youth system, Rashford has made 426 appearances for the club, scoring 138 goals. Since making his senior debut in 2016, he has won the Europa League, two FA Cups, and two League Cups.
However, the forward had not featured for United since mid-December, having stated that he was ready for a new challenge. Manager Ruben Amorim had previously questioned Rashford’s work rate, defending his decision to leave him out of the squad for their win over Fulham last month. The manager insisted that he would rather include a goalkeeping coach on the bench than a player not fully committed to the team.
Rashford has also represented England at two World Cups and two European Championships, scoring 17 international goals. Aston Villa have been active in the transfer market, securing the services of Spanish full-back Andrés García from Levante and Dutch striker Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund during the January window.
