Marcus Rashford reportedly said goodbye to his Manchester United teammates on Saturday afternoon, with the forward preparing to join Aston Villa on loan for the second half of the 2024-25 campaign.
The 27-year-old saw a proposed move to Barcelona break down on Friday, and Villa then emerged as the leading contenders to sign the England international, who has not played for the Red Devils since December 12.
According to the Daily Mail, Rashford has now said goodbye to his Red Devils teammates, while he also spoke to club staff on Saturday afternoon to inform them that he was leaving.
The report claims that personal terms have been agreed with Villa, while the two clubs are now 'ironing out the finer details', as Unai Emery's side close in on one of the most spectacular January deals in recent memory.
An announcement is expected to arrive by the end of the weekend, with Villa moving quickly to secure his signature after agreeing to sell highly-rated forward Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr.
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Villa 'on verge' of securing the loan signing of Rashford
Rashford's wages are in excess of £325,000 a week, and it is understood that Villa will 'contribute a significant portion', making it an attractive deal for Man United, who have been looking to move Rashford on since the start of the month.
Villa are also expected to have the option to sign him on a permanent basis at the end of the campaign.
Rashford has not played for the Red Devils since December 12, but he has still scored seven goals and registered three assists in 24 appearances for Man United during the 2024-25 campaign.
The forward has been out of favour under Man United head coach Ruben Amorim due to poor performances in training and his general demeanour around Carrington.
Rashford has consistently been challenged by Amorim to turn the situation around, but there is now a very strong chance that he has played his last game for Man United, with a permanent exit expected to occur this summer.
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When could Rashford make his Villa debut?
Villa have until Monday night to get the deal done, but it is expected to be completed over the weekend.
The forward would therefore be in line to make his debut for Villa in their FA Cup fourth-round contest with Tottenham Hotspur on February 9, but he has not played for almost two months.
As a result, it will take some time for him to get up to speed, but he could be involved off the bench against Spurs with a view to making his Premier League debut for the club against Ipswich Town on February 15.
Matt Law
