Marcus Rashford is enjoying a fresh lease of life during his loan stint at Aston Villa, but according to reports, his future may lie elsewhere. L’Equipe claims that French giants and Villa’s Champions League Quarter Final opponents, Paris Saint-Germain, have reignited their long-term interest in Rashford.
This is despite the Villains having pre-agreed an option to buy the 27-year-old Mancunian for £40m.
Do Aston Villa hold all of the cards
Rashford has certainly hit the ground running at Villa Park, looking every bit the attacking talent for which he made his name. His performances under Unai Emery even earned him a recall to the England national team last month.
Rashford fell out of favour at his boyhood club, Manchester United, after the arrival of Ruben Amorim. Subsequently, a summer move away from Old Trafford looks a certainty.
Since his January arrival in the West Midlands, he has notched seven goal involvements and became a favourite amongst the Villa faithful. The club have remained tight-lipped over whether they will activate their option to buy Rashford, although recent performances make it a distinct possibility.
It may not be quite as simple as that however, now that PSG football advisor Luis Campos has initiated talks with the player’s representatives.
Two-Legged Audition for Marcus Rashford
It’s not as though Aston Villa and PSG needed added motivation to succeed in their upcoming clash, but the Rashford story throws up an intriguing subplot.
The two-legged quarter-final promises to be a momentous event for both clubs, with the new look tournament format throwing up plenty of shocks already. For Rashford, the occasion may have taken even greater significance. While scouts always find ways to watch the players they are targeting, The Englishman has the opportunity to force himself right into PSG’s focus. What better way to garner attention than to impress your admirers in their own backyard?
He has the perfect opportunity to do just that at the Parc De Princes on one of football’s biggest stages.
While Rashford has thrived during his short stint playing in Villa’s style, he has previously stated his desire to begin a new adventure in Europe. Fraser Fletcher of TeamTalk claimed that the current Villa number nine favours a move abroad, providing major encouragement in the PSG pursuit.
PSG Ready to do Battle On and Off the Pitch Amidst Marcus Rashford Revelation
A move to Paris would no doubt be an attractive proposition, especially considering the dominance of Luis Enrique’s team this season. They were crowned Ligue 1 champions with six games to spare, meaning they can enact an all-out assault on the Champions League.
Their away performance at Anfield in the Champions League last 16 win over Liverpool certainly cemented their position as one of the favourites for the competition. Now Aston Villa stand in their way, in a match that could go some way to determining which way the in demand Englishman will turn next.
The French giants admiration of the England forward goes way back, as previous sporting director Leonardo Araújo was the first to make contact before he left the club. Then, it was a case of testing the resolve of Manchester United, but now it’s an ambitious swoop to derail the plans of Aston Villa.
So, once the dust has settled on Villa Park at the culmination of the quarter final, battle lines are set to be drawn once again between the clubs, to determine the next home of Marcus Rashford.