Marcus Rashford has joined Aston Villa on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season.
Sky Sports News understands Villa will cover at least 75 per cent of Rashford’s wages and this could go up to 90 per cent depending on his and the team’s performance.
“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.
“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.”
In response to Rashford’s Instagram post, former team-mate and friend Jadon Sancho said: “He’s back!”
Sky Sports News understands Villa have made the move as a result of the sale of Jhon Duran to Al Nassr.
“He had to get out of the club. He’s been battered in the last few weeks by his manager. That’s the only person who matters in football, your coach, and I think some of the statements from Ruben Amorim towards Marcus Rashford have been brutal, emphatically saying that he doesn’t want him. I don’t see how there’s any way back after the comments that he’s made.
“There are a number of things that are in his favour at Villa. He’s going to a far better team at this moment, he’s going to a coach who’s world class, which is a real opportunity for him.
“It puts pressure on Marcus to perform for Unai Emery because if you don’t play for him, then you’re sort of saying Ruben Amorim might be the problem, Erik ten Hag might be the problem. Unai Emery can’t be a problem for Rashford. He has to play well for him.
“The other thing is the style of play. How Villa play I think could suit Rashford as well. Maybe the spotlight won’t be quite on him as it was at Manchester United but certainly there’ll still be a lot of attention. Villa are in lots of competitions, they’ve still got a lot to play for and it’s a real opportunity for Marcus.
“It absolutely sounds like what he needs. The last thing that I would think Rashford needs at this moment is someone just like I say, ‘go and enjoy yourself’. He needs to have some discipline in his game, he needs to be coached and he needs to make sure that the team know exactly what it is that they want from him.
“Unai Emery will do that, he’s an absolutely amazing coach. It’s exactly what Marcus Rashford needs and what he’s got to do is buy into it.”
Rashford last played for his boyhood club in the Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen.
The England international revealed in December he was “ready for a new challenge”, but few clubs offered an obvious landing spot thanks in no small part to his wages. (SkySports)