Marcus Rashford completes Manchester United exit and joins Aston Villa on loan

Marcus Rashford has completed his loan move from Manchester United to Aston Villa in what could mark the end of his time at Old Trafford.

Rashford has joined Unai Emery’s side on an initial loan deal but Villa have the option to make the deal permanent in the summer for a fee of £40million.

The Midlands club will pay the majority of Rashford’s wages during his loan spell, potentially rising to 90 per cent of his £325,000-a-week salary depending on performances.

It marks Villa’s third signing of the January transfer window (check with Asensio) following deals for Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen and Spanish left-back Andres Garcia.

For Rashford, meanwhile, the move brings an end to a tumultuous period for the 27-year-old who has been frozen out at United by new manager Ruben Amorim.

The forward, who came through the United academy and made his debut under Louis van Gaal at age 18 in 2016, started and scored in Amorim’s first game in charge against Ipswich Town back in November.

However, the Englishman was dropped from the matchday squad for the Manchester derby in mid-December and has not played a minute in the subsequent 12 matches in all competitions.

Shortly after being dropped for the first time, Rashford hinted at his desire to leave the club, admitting he was ‘ready for a new challenge’ in a bombshell interview.

And his relationship with Amorim has seemingly only worsened since then, with the Portuguese coach recently suggesting he would prefer to give his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach a spot on the bench over Rashford

Several top European clubs, including AC Milan, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, have all held talks with Rashford’s representatives over a potential January deal.

But, in the end, it is a move to Villa that materialised in the last few days of the window after they sanctioned Jhon Duran’s big-money departure to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.

Despite Rashford’s incoming, Villa are still looking for more attacking firepower, with a deal Paris Saint-Germain attacker Marco Asensio close to completion.

And the club could also explore an 11th-hour deal to sign out-of-favour Chelsea forward Joao Felix on a permanent deal.

United, meanwhile, have completed their first signing under Amorim after left-back Patrick Dorgu joined from Lecce in a deal worth £29m.

The Red Devils are also attacking reinforcements following Rashford’s departure, with Bayern Munich forward Matthys Tel a possibility after the Frenchman turned down a switch to Tottenham.

A surprise move for Villa forward Leon Bailey has also been discussed by United should the Jamaican winger be made available in the final day of the window.

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