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Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa transfer bombshell dropped as Man United exit nears

Marcus Rashford in action for Manchester United
-Credit:AP


Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on the signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.

Reports on Friday emerged that Villa were considering a loan move for the English forward who has been left out of United's team for the last 12 matches by Ruben Amorim. Barcelona had looked into the situation, but a move to Spain for Rashford appears unlikely at this stage.

And our colleagues at The Manchester Evening News report that a deal for Rashford to join Unai Emery's side on loan for the remainder of the season is progressing ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline. We also understand that Rashford is open to joining Villa on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

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READ MORE: Major Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa transfer update as buy option discussed

The Villans have moved for the 27-year-old after striker Jhon Duran was sold to Al Nassr for £65million on Friday and Rashford is now said to be 'closing in' on a move to B6. The United academy graduate has fallen out of favour under Amorim at Old Trafford, with the former Sporting boss previously suggesting that he was not giving maximum effort. The Portuguese later clarified on Wednesday that it was nothing personal.

"Our team should be so much better with Rashford. But he has to change," he said at United's pre-match press conference before Thursday's 2-0 win over FCSB. "If he changes, we are more than welcome to put in a talent like Rashford and we need it.

"In this moment, I think it's really clear that we have to set some certain standards. We are waiting for Marcus, if he wants it really, really bad.

"You try to make it something personal but it's not personal, I have nothing against Marcus. I have to make the same rules for everybody and that for me it's so simple, it's always the same."

Rashford has scored 138 goals for United since making his first-team debut in February 2016, seven of which have come this season. It is understood that Villa feel Rashford is open to a move to the Second City.

A move for Rashford comes after Villa sold Jhon Duran to Saudia Arabia's Al-Nassr for £64m. Ollie Watkins has also been the subject of intense transfer scrutiny with Arsenal keen to sign the forward.

"Yes, he is happy to stay," Emery said of Watkins. "You can ask him, but we asked him how he is feeling every day, every year he has been here with Aston Villa, with us and without us.

"We talked with him and he is very focused on the message we have.

"The commitment of Ollie Watkins with us is a huge commitment, he appreciates a lot how Aston Villa was always supporting him, helping him and when we joined him here two years ago, how we worked with him, always trying to get the best of him.

"Now we need him, like he needed Aston Villa. The conversation we are having usually, I am speaking with him a lot, he is always adapting of every circumstance we have in the squad and individually with him.

"When there are some teams calling us being interested in the players of course it is very good for us and very good for the players.

"Some players prefer to leave and some players accept to stay here, to be here and commit with us here and to be with our challenge. One of those is Ollie Watkins."