Manchester [UK], February 3 : England's star forward Marcus Rashford has made a significant move in his career after making a move from Manchester United to Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season, the club's official website stated.
Aston Villa released a statement to announce the arrival of Rashford, which read, "Aston Villa is delighted to announce the loan signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United."
"The England international, capped 60 times by the Three Lions, joins Villa on a deal until the end of the season," the statement added.
Rashford has netted 138 goals in over 400 appearances for Manchester United, having come through the ranks at Old Trafford. With the Red Devils, he has lifted the Europa League, two FA Cups and two League Cups.
"I would like to thank Manchester United and Aston Villa for making this loan deal happen. I was lucky to have a few clubs approach me but Aston Villa was an easy decision," Rashford wrote on his Instagram post.
"I really admire the way that Aston Villa have been playing this season, and the managers' ambitions. I just want to play football and am excited to get started. I wish everyone at Manchester United all the best for the rest of the season," he added.
Rashford was a prominent figure in the red side of Manchester, often a regular starter under various managers before Ruben Amorim's arrival. Since the managerial change and the shift in United's playing style, Rashford struggled to secure a spot in the starting XI.
When the dynamics within the team shifted, Rashford was dropped from the squad ahead of their Manchester derby victory on December 15. His last appearance for his boyhood club was in the UEFA Europa League against Viktoria Plzen on December 12.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes Aston Villa could be a "real opportunity" for Rashford after being axed from United's squad.
"He had to get out of the club. He's been battered in the last few weeks by his manager. That's the only person who matters in football, your coach, and I think some of the statements from Ruben Amorim towards Marcus Rashford have been brutal, emphatically saying that he doesn't want him. I don't see how there's any way back after the comments that he's made," he told Sky Sports.
"There are a number of things that are in his favour at Villa. He's going to a far better team at this moment, he's going to a coach who's world-class, which is a real opportunity for him," he added.
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