Man Utd deliver £45m transfer hint to Aston Villa as Champions League club eye 'groundbreaking' loan

Man Utd may have just sent a subtle hint to Villa as the Red Devils are reportedly engaged in talks with Dortmund over loaning out-of-favour forward Marcus Rashford to the German Bundesliga.

United boss Ruben Amorim has insisted over recent months that Rashford is part of the club’s long-term plans despite leaving the academy product out of several matchday squads. Nonetheless, the likeliest outcome appears to be Rashford departing Old Trafford, whether that be on loan or permanently.

The 27-year-old has racked up an impressive 138 goals and 63 assists in 426 senior appearances for Man Utd and he’s never been anywhere else. A move away would be groundbreaking as a result but the player, not exactly bonded with Amorim just yet, seems to be ready to take on a fresh challenge.

Transfer news specialist Fabrizio Romano reports Dortmund are among several clubs to have expressed an interest in Rashford, alongside the likes of AC Milan, Juventus and Galatasaray. It’s stated that Dortmund have directly asked for conditions for a potential deal as they seek to strengthen their attacking options.

It awaits to be seen if United would be willing to let Rashford leave on loan or whether they’d prefer a permanent exit but his current contract still has three and a half years left to run. As per Transfermarkt, the 60-time England international’s current transfer value stands at €55 million (£45.5m).

Aston Villa could benefit from Marcus Rashford transfer

If BVB complete a move for Rashford - or at least receive an indication a deal is possible - it would boost Villa’s chances of signing Donyell Malen. The Dutch international recently agreed personal terms ahead of a transfer to Villa Park but negotiations are still ongoing over the fee, with Dortmund holding out for around £25 million.

Unai Emery is inching closer to securing his priority transfer target to add pace, versatility and depth to Villa’s attack. The news broke last Thursday (January 2) that the Villans had seen an initial bid of €18 million (£14.9m) plus add-ons turned down for Malen but talks have progressed ever since.

The 25-year-old attacker has scored 39 goals in 131 games in all competitions for Dortmund, three of which have come this campaign. Malen helped BVB reach the Champions League final last year - and he appeared in that crunch clash off the bench - but they were beaten in the final by Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium.

Depth in wide areas is pivotal for Emery’s plans at Villa, especially as he wants the club to be competitive in an array of competitions. Finishing in the Premier League top four is the priority while advancing far in the Champions League is highly desirable. Villa were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace in the last 16 and their FA Cup campaign gets underway against West Ham United this Friday.