Marcus Rashford - signed on loan (injured - out for season?)

[SaddVillan]

Here's journalist Henry Winter's take on the deal.
A pretty good summary in my view.

Aston Villa offers a fantastic relaunching opportunity for Marcus Rashford if he responds to Unai Emery’s demands in and out of possession. Emery’s a very detailed technical and tactical coach who can bring the best out of underperforming individuals. If there are no last-minute hitches in the loan deal, Rashford will be playing in front of the Holte End which will expect total commitment. If he delivers, Villa fans will love him.

His pace, directness and goal threat, cutting in from the left will be a useful asset for Villa. They need reinforcements and options because of the European workload and Jhon Duran’s exit. He will need a couple of games to regain match sharpness but Rashford is fitter than depicted. He's let his career drift over the past two years but there's still a good player there. Anyone who has scored 139 goals in 426 games for United, and 17 goals in 60 for England, clearly has quality.

It’s all down to Rashford now. His character and ability are being questioned. He has to seize this chance. Villa are a distinguished club with a fine history and an exciting future thanks to Emery, Monchi and the owners. Villa Park is a special place, raucous and rocking, when the team are flying. It’s all there for Rashford, the stage, the support, the manager, the Champions League.

He’s only 27. He’s desperate to get back in the England squad - a tall order given the attacking quality Thomas Tuchel can call upon (not least Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers). But Rashford has to deliver for club first before even dreaming about an England recall.

It's been clear for two months that Rashford was going to leave United. Whatever the reasons – a combination of tactical, PSR, effort - a parting of the ways makes sense for club and player. It’s a loan but hard to see Rashford returning. Ruben Amorim can get on with his important rebuilding job without the distraction of another saga. Eventually freeing up Rashford’s wages will allow significant reinvestment in squad - at centre-forward. 

One caveat: the suggestion is that Rashford will commute to Bodymoor Heath. Really, he should move away from Manchester, closer to the training ground and Villa Park. Rashford has to pour every minute, and every ounce of energy, into this great opportunity at Villa.

[Chip Butty 111]

With Asensio likely, our forward options are surely the most exciting we've had if they find form, and Unai can mould them all together.

[AV84]

He's got 17 million instagram followers. Is that the biggest of any player we have? It could be a huge attention grabber for the club, hopefully in a positive sense.

[kippaxvilla2]

Has this been confirmed now?

[ChicagoLion]

Agree with Winter, he should get clear of Manchester, clean break.
I hope he does brilliantly.

[cdbearsfan]

He's got 17 million instagram followers. Is that the biggest of any player we have? It could be a huge attention grabber for the club, hopefully in a positive sense.

Coutinho 24 million.

[eamonn]

His coach at Yanited when he was young and whom he credits with his development has the same full name as me and there are only three of us in the world so I really want to like Marcus and ultimately bond with him.

[LeonW]

Welcome Marcus. Hope you prove to be a genius loan transfer.

[Toronto Villa]

Maybe Unai sees a little bit of himself in these recovery projects. He came back to England to prove a point having been hounded out of Arsenal. He might be putting a similar opportunity in front of Rashford. Unwanted at a club he’s given a lot to and a chance to shove it in everyone’s face that has tossed him aside.

[Villafirst]

Signed! The official site seems slow!

[andyh]

Even the yellow program on sky hasn’t confirmed

[Brazilian Villain]

Like all Villa players, he'll have my support (unless he's strolling around the pitch looking uninterested). Let's see how it goes.

[Dante Lavelli]

Great news if true.  Good luck Marcus.

By a distance the best player we have ever signed where we do not know if or where he will play.

[AV84]

Interesting read on BBC about Rashford

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cqld41124n3o

Some interesting bits from that article....

Club sources say Rashford has trained well. Unlike Jadon Sancho, who fell out with former United boss Erik ten Hag, again over standards, Rashford was not banished to a different area of the Carrington training ground and told to change on his own.

While Rashford's body language has not always presented the most positive image, recent open training showed a different side.

During the 15 minutes session broadcast before the Europa League matches against Rangers and FCSB, Rashford was expressive and light-hearted.

When Amorim 'ran the gauntlet' through the first-team squad to mark his 40th birthday, Rashford was among those in the line, smiling after the United boss had charged through.

However, despite missing the past 11 games, he is still United's joint-fourth highest scorer this season with seven, the same as £72m signing Hojlund, who has played four more games.

Only Amad Diallo (six), Bruno Fernandes (five) and Hojlund (four) have scored more goals under Amorim than Rashford (three), who has only been on the pitch in 35% of the new head coach's games at United.

Also some suggestions that Amorim was trying to make himself the "strongest" person at the club, and proving he's the boss by taking control of a situation and not backing down. Also the idea that getting rid of their highest earners will make it easier for them to offer lower wages to potential new signings, which is why Rashford and Caesmero have been left out.

If they left, representatives of prospective signings would be unable to use them as a benchmark for wage negotiations.

Consequently, it is not until those salaries are off the books that United can properly start to move forward in a more sustainable manner, without the threat of profit and sustainability breaches hanging over them. Those rules also feed the view that homegrown stars such as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo might need to be sold.

[PaulWinch again]

Welcome Marcus, be great.