Aston Villa Show Interest in Marcus Rashford as Barcelona Deal Fades

Aston Villa have emerged as surprise contenders to sign Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford before the January transfer window closes. The England international has fallen out of favor at Old Trafford and has not featured for the Red Devils since mid-December.

While Barcelona were initially considered frontrunners to secure Rashford’s services on loan, financial constraints appear to have complicated a potential move to the Spanish giants. This has opened the door for Villa to make a late swoop for the 27-year-old forward.

According to reports, Villa manager Unai Emery is keen to bolster his attacking options following the impending departure of Jhon Duran to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in a £64 million deal. The Midlands club see Rashford as an ideal reinforcement to support striker Ollie Watkins.

However, sources suggest Rashford would need convincing to join Villa on a temporary basis, with the player’s preference still being a move to Barcelona. The Catalan club’s financial difficulties may ultimately rule them out of contention though.

Rashford signed a lucrative five-year contract extension with United in the summer of 2023, but his future at the club looks increasingly uncertain under new manager Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese coach recently stated he would rather select his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach over players who do not give maximum effort in training.

With just days remaining in the transfer window, Rashford’s situation remains unresolved. But Villa’s late interest adds another intriguing dimension to the striker’s potential January exit from Old Trafford.