Aston Villa Eye £25m Attacker From La Liga: Is It The Right Decision? | OneFootball

Aston Villa haven’t moved on from Marcus Rashford. According to reports from Mundo Deportivo and Sport, covered by Sport Witness, Emery’s side remain firmly in the picture for the Manchester United forward despite being snubbed last summer, when Rashford chose Barcelona over a permanent deal at Villa Park.

Aston Villa consider fresh move for Barcelona’s £25m forward

Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan at Villa before rejecting an extension and joining Hansi Flick’s squad on loan from Old Trafford in July 2025. Barcelona hold a €30m purchase option, but Mundo Deportivo reports the Catalan club are reluctant to trigger it and are instead exploring another loan arrangement.

United are standing firm on the fee and won’t sanction a third successive loan. Sources quoted by the paper say Rashford is fully focused on staying at Camp Nou, dismissing reported interest from Real Madrid and a return to Manchester entirely.

Sport adds Barcelona have already agreed personal terms with the 28-year-old, but need a deal with United to make the transfer permanent, something that hasn’t happened yet. Meanwhile, United remain quietly confident that other clubs, Aston Villa included, will meet their €30m demand.

This season in La Liga, Rashford has contributed eight goals and seven assists across 1,671 minutes of action, averaging 7.21 on FotMob per game, picking up three yellow cards. His goals-per-90 sits at roughly 0.43, with an assist rate of 0.38 per 90, solid, if not elite, numbers for a team still finding their best system.

What should Aston Villa actually do this summer?

BARCELONA, SPAIN – MAY 10: Marcus Rashford of FC Barcelona reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Spotify Camp Nou on May 10, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Paying €30m for Rashford makes sense for Aston Villa on paper, but only under the right structure. He’s 28, not at peak value, and his inconsistency is well-documented. That said, Emery gets the best from misfiring forwards; it happened once before at Villa Park and nearly became permanent.

If Barcelona walk away and United stay firm, Villa could negotiate a deal with add-ons rather than a flat €30m. That is pragmatic, not naive. Rashford already knows the club, the city, the system, and that familiarity matters. For Aston Villa, the risk is manageable if the contract reflects performance, not reputation alone.