Manchester United want to sign Aston Villa star, could include Marcus Rashford in potential swap deal: Reports
Marcus Rashford could be used in a possible swap deal with Manchester United, who are thinking about making a summer move for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. The two Premier League teams have already held talks, with the Red Devils seeing Watkins as a top choice to revamp their offensive line under Ruben Amorim.
Rashford is reportedly interested in moving overseas, and both Barcelona and PSG are keeping an eye on him. However, Villa do have the option to sign him permanently for £40 million, opening the door for negotiations with the Manchester United hierarchy.
As per FootballTransfers, the Red Devils are open to a deal that would send Rashford permanently to Villa in return for Watkins. They see it as a sensible way to acquire a striker with experience in England's top division. With 27 goal involvements in 47 games this season, Watkins is regarded as a seasoned Premier League forward who can strengthen United's patchy front line.
After being benched in four of the previous five games, he has reportedly grown frustrated with his lack of starts, raising doubts about his future at Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford's form has noticeably improved during his loan stint at Villa. The forward has impressed manager Unai Emery with three goals and six assists in 15 games.
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford pushes for Barcelona move amid PSG and Villa interest
As his loan at Aston Villa draws to a close, Marcus Rashford is looking to start over at Barcelona. After being benched by manager Ruben Amorim earlier this season, the Manchester United forward joined Villa in January in an attempt to get regular playing time.
The 27-year-old has found his form again since moving to Villa Park. However, Rashford reportedly still has aspirations of joining Barcelona (via TEAMTalk). Camp Nou is his preferred destination, although negotiations broke down between Barca and United in January because of the Spanish team's financial limitations.
Even though Villa has a £40 million buyout option, the Blaugrana reportedly remain interested. It is worth noting, though, that they would have to sell players to pay for a move.
Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping an eye on the situation. According to Yahoo! Sports, the French champions may be prepared to spend up to £75 million to sign him. They might have a chance, though, as his £350,000 weekly salary could make a permanent move to Villa more difficult.
Since Amorim is not anticipated to include Marcus Rashford in his future plans, a return to Manchester United appears extremely unlikely.