Marcus Rashford returns to Manchester on Tuesday as an Aston Villa player facing significant uncertainty about his long-term future. The Manchester United forward agreed to a loan move in January that runs until the end of the season.
Rashford has found some form at Villa Park, contributing three goals and five assists in 16 appearances, which earned him an England recall in March after previously being excluded from the national team.
The 26-year-old\'s future remains undecided with multiple potential outcomes. Villa has an option to make his move permanent for £40 million, but Rashford\'s £350,000-per-week wages present a major obstacle, as Villa cannot afford to commit to a long-term contract at that salary level.
Other possibilities include another loan move, a permanent transfer elsewhere, or a return to Manchester United. Sources indicate another loan remains possible as it would remove most of Rashford\'s wages from United\'s books while allowing another year of his contract to expire.
The deterioration of Rashford\'s United career accelerated after Ruben Amorim\'s appointment as manager in November. While Erik ten Hag had previously warned about Rashford\'s attitude during the 2023 preseason, sources indicate Amorim quickly became frustrated with the player\'s training performances.
Rashford\'s disciplinary issues included an unauthorized trip to a Belfast nightclub and hosting a birthday party hours after a heavy defeat to Manchester City. Some at United trace his changed focus to losing a key adviser who had previously helped shield him from distractions.
The forward\'s decision to take a holiday in the United States during the international break when Amorim arrived reportedly reinforced the new manager\'s concerns. Although Amorim publicly downplayed the incident, sources close to the Portuguese coach say it confirmed what his research on the player had already suggested.
Despite these issues, Rashford reportedly hasn\'t given up hope of returning to United. His representatives held tentative discussions with clubs including Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Barcelona and Juventus in January, but his salary demands proved prohibitive for all potential suitors.
Manchester United has been careful not to burn bridges in its communications about Rashford, recognizing that multiple scenarios remain possible this summer for a player who scored 30 goals just one season ago but has since fallen dramatically out of favor.
Amorim has reportedly told people close to him that the decision to let Rashford leave was \"easy.\"
Via Rob Dawson/ESPN