Marcus Rashford swap deal mooted as Utd size up move for ‘extraordinary’ striker with 74 PL goals to his name

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·21 aprile 2025

Marcus Rashford swap deal mooted as Utd size up move for ‘extraordinary’ striker with 74 PL goals to his name

Rather than relying on Aston Villa activating Marcus Rashford’s £40 million buy option come the end of his loan spell, Manchester United are said to be eyeing a way around the negotiated deal.

Instead, the Red Devils, according to the Daily Star, are open to Rashford signing for the Villans permanently if Ollie Watkins is sent the other way to Old Trafford in a move that would see Ruben Amorim’s frontline options instantly strengthened by a Premier League-proven, prolific goalscorer; Watkins has 74 goals in the five top-flight campaigns he’s played, with last season’s record of 19 goals and 15 assists a truly remarkable one.

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Rashford’s arrival at Villa Park has put Watkins’ starting spot in jeopardy since January – just when he thought he’d finally fended off any competition when Jhon Duran completed his mega-money switch to Al Nassr.

In the side’s action-packed quarter-final clashes with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Watkins was benched for both legs and ended up featuring for just 25 minutes across the ties.

He voiced his disappointment on the situation following an emphatic performance against Newcastle United on Saturday night, telling Sky Sports post-match: “The manager’s got a bit of a headache because I’m banging on his door… I was fuming I wasn’t playing against PSG!”

Why Watkins might start considering a Villa Park exit

Watkins scored and assisted during Villa’s thrashing of the Magpies over the weekend. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

At this stage of his career, the 29-year-old – hailed as an ‘extraordinary striker’ by ex-teammate Douglas Luiz – knows he’s more than capable and deserving of being a mainstay in any top club’s starting 11.

One factor that will also likely be creeping into Watkins’ mind is the 2026 World Cup, where he will be adamant about representing England on the biggest stage, having played an influential role at last year’s Euros; he bagged the winning goal off-the-bench against the Netherlands to send the Three Lion to the final, although he was used sparingly by Gareth Southgate throughout the tournament.