Aston Villa have agreed a loan deal until the end of the season with Manchester United for Marcus Rashford. Villa will cover a minimum of three-quarters of the England forward’s wages for the duration of his stay and up to 90 per cent depending on performance-based bonuses. They also have an option to make the move permanent in the summer for £40million (€47.8m, $49.5m).
Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate January’s senior Premier League transfers. This continues the project we launched last summer, but we have also made some significant tweaks to how we assess each deal.
Gone are the five scores out of 100, and in their place are 10 ratings out of 50. This should allow for much more nuance to be reflected in the analysis and, importantly, much more variability in the overall figure each transfer ends up with. Follow the link below for more background on the changes.
Tactical fit — 28/50
Rashford’s versatility was one of the reasons driving Villa’s decision-making on this signing, given he can play on either flank and as a centre-forward or second striker. Additionally, Villa’s system without the ball, where they revert to a compact shape instead of pressing high up the pitch, should hide his deficiencies out of possession, which brought him plenty of criticism at United.
However, his in-possession fit within Unai Emery’s system looks clunky.
Across his senior career, Rashford has performed best in an inside-forward role from the left, scoring 17 league goals for United in 2019-20 and 2022-23 when allowed to drift into spaces within or just outside the left side of the box. This was why he excelled ahead of left-back Luke Shaw and could do so in tandem with Villa’s Lucas Digne, who makes similar overlapping runs to Shaw.
The issue for Rashford is that Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey have made that left-sided role at Villa, where Emery requires a No 10, theirs with strong performances.
In contrast, Leon Bailey has struggled all season on Villa’s right, presenting opportunities for both Rashford and fellow new signing Donyell Malen, who arrived in mid-January from Borussia Dortmund. But Rashford’s performances on the right flank this season and in the past have shown that he inevitably ends up drifting into central areas or over to his preferred left wing, which would complicate Villa’s system. Rashford’s preference for inward runs clashes with Emery’s requirement that his right-wingers hold their width and stretch defences.
Down the middle, Rashford could play alongside Ollie Watkins, but two right-footed strikers might hurt Villa’s balance, even if both can use their left foot to a decent degree. They are both excellent channel runners, though, which could produce quality opportunities, especially in transition.
All of that suggests Rashford might be best suited to a bench role during this loan, deputising for the forwards and targeting tired legs, quite like the now-departed Jhon Duran did earlier this season. But the scale of financial commitment Villa are making on the deal could lead to pressure to start him.
There is plenty for Emery to figure out.
Injury record — 35/50
Rashford has been consistently available over the past two-and-a-half seasons, apart from a few muscular issues in 2022-23 and a long-term shoulder injury that disrupted 2021-22.
Market value — 37/50
A lack of playing time under new United head coach Ruben Amorim after his comments on wanting a new challenge has hurt Rashford’s value. That said, signing a player who completed a 17-goal Premier League season not long ago on loan is good business on paper for Villa.
Rashford scored 17 Premier League goals in the 2022-23 season (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
Contract rationale – 35/50
The loan agreement includes an option for Villa to make Rashford’s move permanent for £40mllion at the end of the season, which makes sense for all parties involved. The 27-year-old’s future at Old Trafford looked uncertain before this deal and should he perform well, Villa will get an international-level forward with some of his peak years left for a reasonable price.
Recent form – 25/50
Rashford managed seven goals and three assists in 23 matches across all competitions before his recent near two-month absence and is United’s joint third-highest scorer this season (alongside Rasmus Hojlund).
United have struggled with and without him, though. They were 13th after his final Premier League appearance – a 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest — in December and remain there following Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace.
Rashford celebrates scoring against Everton earlier this season (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Gap-filling – 43/50
The departures of Duran, Jaden Philogene and Emi Buendia in this winter window leave gaps in Villa’s attack, even with the arrival of Malen. Rashford, who can play across the front line, improves depth for a team fighting for a top-four Premier League finish and into the round of 16 in the Champions League.
Excitement factor – 35/50
Rashford’s arrival signals the shift in status Villa have enjoyed in recent years, with the Midlands club a more attractive proposition than before, given their new status as a Champions League team and top-four contenders. There are doubts over whether Emery can get the best out of him in the short term and how he fits into the dressing room, but this signing is bound to excite a lot of their fans.
Future-proofing – 33/50
A loan deal which will see Villa cover around 75 per cent of Rashford’s £325,000 a week salary is a massive investment. Should he do well, they have a reasonably-priced option to buy a player who has proved over several years that he can deliver in the Premier League.
Rival impact – 25/50
Not many teams were clamouring for Rashford’s signature in this window, but this is still a move that will make Villa’s rivals in the top-four argument sit up and take notice.
United misfit Rashford has joined Villa until the summer at least (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Marketability – 33/50
Rashford is inarguably one of Villa’s most high-profile arrivals in recent history, though that comes with media scrutiny. If he gets off to a strong start, Villa’s marketing team will be a busy bunch.
Overall rating — 329/500
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