M6 exit strategy for Team Rashford

SOMEONE who has known Marcus Rashford for several years said they saw this coming years ago. That there was an inkling of not if, but when, his Manchester United career would enter into freefall.

- By SAMUEL LUCKHURST

When Rashford settled on a "new challenge" nearly seven weeks ago, he had Barcelona in mind. He will, instead, wear a different shade of claret down the M6.

A source aware of the negotiations said Rashford rejected more prestigious clubs than Villa as he would not have to relocate. It is an easy commute for Rashford or his gopher, the former United youth-teamer RoShaun Williams.

Villa were desperate and at "panic stations", according to one agent. The sizeable sale of Jhon Duran to Al Nassr for £64million paved the way for a quickly concluded loan for the rest of the season.

It absolutely suits all parties. Rashford will slot in on Villa's left and switch to centre forward if Ollie Watkins, forced off at Wolves on Saturday, is ever unavailable.

Rashford gets to work under an excellent coach in Unai Emery and play in the Champions League knockout stage for the first time in three years.

United are no longer saddled with a player whose training form was so inadequate Ruben Amorim would have rather played his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach.

Villa are above United in the table but how the once-mighty Rashford has fallen. If he was ever to leave United, it was supposed to be Barca or Paris Saint-Germain. Not the 1996 Coca-Cola Cup winners.

There was early talk of Arsenal. An agency source stressed the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules mean clubs have to go beyond due dilligence when signing a player. Mikel Arteta was "never going to go near" Rashford. Arteta had purged the Arsenal dressing room of feckless and flaky high-earners in Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Arsenal have three competitions to play for and Arteta was never going to upset the apple cart with a player who has crossed past and present United managers.

Deco, the Barcelona sporting director, was "not that fussed" about signing Rashford.