Aston Villa poised to complete stunning £62.7m double swoop following Unai Emery phone calls

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Two significant Aston Villa transfers are expected to be completed on Sunday with another possible on deadline day.

Aston Villa are closing in on the signings of Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Marco Asensio, Birmingham World understands.

Unai Emery wants three new additions before the transfer deadline on Monday evening – two versatile forward and one central defender. Rashford and Asensio are on track to fulfil the attacker quota while there are multiple defensive options, with Axel Disasi leading the way.

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Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio are both on track to join Aston Villa on loanMarcus Rashford and Marco Asensio are both on track to join Aston Villa on loan
Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio are both on track to join Aston Villa on loan | Getty Images

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers rather brutally exposed Villa’s defensive frailties in the absences of Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings but the first focus is to complete two attacking transfers. Rashford and Asensio are set to be those coming through the Villa Park doors after phone calls directly with Emery.

It’s understood a medical has already been booked in for Rashford on Sunday following a breakthrough in talks with Man Utd. The 27-year-old will join on a loan deal until June and an option to buy has been spoken about at great length.

Villa and United have agreed a £40 million fee for the buy option, in view to a three-year contract. Villa are eager to get Rashford’s medical tests completed before close of play on Sunday to avoid any complications before Monday’s deadline – and so the focus can swift to other incomings.

Following Emiliano Buendia’s loan move to Bayer Leverkusen - a deal that includes an option to buy for £17 million - the number 10 shirt is currently vacant at Villa Park. Rashford is expected to clinch the number - the same he’s adorned at Old Trafford for the last seven years - if he completes his move to B6.

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Rashford, 60 times an appearance maker for the senior England national team, has racked up an extraordinary 426 appearances, 138 goals and 63 assists for Man Utd. The Red Devils academy product has never left his boyhood club, so this next move is a vitally important one. Rashford’s current market value, as per Transfermarkt, is £46 million.

Marco Asensio to join Rashford at Villa Park

Another deal on the verge of completion is that of Asensio, who will also be arriving on a six-month loan. Birmingham World was alerted during the Wolves clash that talks were progressing nicely for Asensio but an even more significant update followed a few hours later.

The Athletic revealed late on Saturday evening that a full agreement has been reached between Villa and PSG for Asensio to sign on for the remainder of the 2024/25 season. The Villans will cover the Spaniard’s full salary for the next six months as part of a wider financial package.

Unlike Rashford, Asensio isn’t joining with the view to a permanent transfer in the summer. The 29-year-old instead arrives on a straight loan to try and help Villa achieve their ambitions of finishing in the Premier League top four and progressing far in the UEFA Champions League.

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Asensio, 38 times a full Spain international, has scored seven goals and made 11 assists in 47 matches for PSG since arriving in July 2023. Before that, the attacking midfielder racked up an impressive 61 goals and 32 assists in 286 appearances for Real Madrid. Asensio also won three Champions League titles during his eight years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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