Evening Standard
·16 aprile 2025
Marcus Rashford '100 per cent' wants Manchester United return as Unai Emery makes £40m transfer admission

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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·16 aprile 2025
Aston Villa have the option to turn the Manchester United forward’s loan spell into a permanent one
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery says signing Marcus Rashford on a permanent deal is "difficult to plan now".
The 27-year-old England striker has rejuvenated his career at Villa Park following his loan move from Manchester United in January.
He was in rampant mood during the second half of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, where Villa fell just short of one of the great comebacks, winning 3-2 on the night but losing 5-4 on aggregate.
Villa, bidding for top-five league finish and with an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace to look forward to later this month, have an option to make Rashford's deal permanent in the summer for £40million, but Emery says nothing has been decided yet.
"It (signing him in the summer) is difficult to plan now," the Spaniard said. "He's feeling comfortable and better. (On Tuesday) he played a fantastic match.
"If he's happy, we are happy. Then, of course, it depends on the circumstances and what happens in the next weeks, and (what we have) in the next year as well."
Rejuvenated: Marcus Rashford
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United's all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney believes Rashford would want an Old Trafford return.
Working as a pundit on Amazon Prime, Rooney said: "Marcus Rashford wants to play for Manchester United - 100 per cent.
"He is a Manchester lad and fan. Over the last 18 months it has been difficult. He needed to play and it was clear he wasn't going to play for the rest of the season - we could all see that.
"He has clearly shown, sometimes you have to keep banging on the manager's door and put yourself in a position where he can't leave you out.
"Marcus Rashford, in an ideal world, would want to play and leave a legacy at Manchester United.
"Whether that is going to happen, I don't know, but it is what I would love to see as well."
Rashford was a spearhead as Villa fought back from a 5-1 aggregate deficit to almost force extra time against the French champions on Tuesday evening.
Emery's side ultimately fell just short, but exited a debut Champions League campaign with their heads held high.
Ezri Konsa, who scored the goal that made it 3-2 to Villa on the night, told the club's website: "Obviously the two goals at the start killed us.
"But we showed great belief, great character to get back into the game. We won the second leg but unfortunately it wasn't enough.
"At half-time we had nothing to lose, that's what we said in there. We wanted to go out there and prove a point.
"The boys dug deep, we pressed well. I think you could see that. We had chances, and I think I scored the hardest one.
"But it is what it is, and we move on."