'Aston Villa green-lit to buy Marcus Rashford from Man United after Liverpool news'

Yesterday at 11:30 AM

Aston Villa have received a major boost in their pursuit of a permanent Marcus Rashford deal this summer after a transfer update emerged at Liverpool.

Rashford joined Aston Villa in January on-loan from Man United, and has quickly become a fan-favourite at Villa Park.

Having been frozen out at Old Trafford by Ruben Amorim, the 27-year-old has completely turned around his form, having endured a difficult past two seasons in Manchester.

However, the upturn in the winger’s performances – with Rashford recently being recalled into the England squad – has seen clubs such as Barcelona reignite their interest in the on-loan star.

Barcelona turn their attention towards Luis Diaz deal

Barcelona missed out on Luis Diaz last summer, but according to a report from Sky Sports on 18 March, the Catalan giants will once again move for the Colombian winger this summer.

The former Porto man had interest from Newcastle in January, but much like the Spanish side, struggled to meet Liverpool’s asking price for the 28-year-old.

Barcelona are in need of a left-winger, with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha both more comfortable on the right, and both Diaz and Rashford would be major boosts to Hansi Flick’s high-flying squad.

The Colombian winger is the Red’s second-top scorer this season, but he has only managed four goals for the club since December 2024.

Should Diaz leave, he would be part of a potential mass exodus from Anfield this summer, with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all out of contract.

Luis Diaz to Barcelona a major boost for Aston Villa’s pursuit of Marcus Rashford

Whilst it is clear that the move for Rashford has done wonders for his on-pitch performances, the winger has yet to clarify his summer plans.

It is understood there is a £40million buy-option in Villa’s loan agreement with Man United, but Rashfords’ wages could prove a sticking point.

However, if the Villains are able to negotiate without an intrusion from the Spanish club, there is a chance that a more team-friendly agreement could be reached, given the Camp Nou was believed to be Rashford’s dream destination before heading to Villa Park initially.

What’s more, with Villa still competing in both the FA Cup, and the Champions League, the Midlands club are still in line to receive a financial boost through prize money from both competitions.

Rashford can also rest easy in the knowledge that his good form for the Villains is being recognised by England boss Thomas Tuchel, having been recalled to the England squad for the first time since March 2024, and moving to a new club may represent a risk to his spot in the national set-up, with next year’s World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada on the horizon.

The post 'Aston Villa green-lit to buy Marcus Rashford from Man United after Liverpool news' appeared first on Football Insider.