Marcus Rashford has been in impressive form since joining Aston Villa on loan from Manchester United in January, with the forward also earning an England recall
Marcus Rashford and Thomas Tuchel
Marcus Rashford's body language has been turning heads in recent weeks(Image: Getty Images)
Paul Gascoigne believes Marcus Rashford's attitude has improved considerably since he left Manchester United and that his strong form could earn him a summer move to Real Madrid.
Since making a temporary switch to Aston Villa in January, Rashford has appeared rejuvenated, even though he has yet to score in nine outings. The 27-year-old looks more energetic and motivated, and - according to England icon Gascoigne - is far happier since parting ways with Old Trafford following a reported fallout with United boss Ruben Amorim.
Despite not finding the back of the net, Rashford has contributed four assists under Unai Emery, helping Villa earn six wins in nine games. His performances also earned him an England recall this month, nearly a year after being omitted from the Euro 2024 squad.
"He's playing well," Gascoigne told Poker Scout before quipping: "I heard he might be going to Real Madrid. He’ll have had more moves than a chess player!
"His attitude is just wanting to play football, and he seems like he's playing with a smile on his face. He seems to be all right at Aston Villa," the 57-year-old former Tottenham and Newcastle star continued.
"Aston Villa is a magnificent club and maybe he's just got to be happy playing. Football's his life and change of scenery and different fans, but he seems to be doing all right. I like him as a player."
Marcus Rashford
Gascoigne is not the only one to notice a shift in Rashford's body language - which was a frequent topic of discussion in recent seasons at United. Last month, ex-Red Devils goalkeeper Ben Foster said the forward "looks happier," while Jamie Redknapp noted that he appeared to be "loving every second" of his time at Villa.
"It's just incredible, this [his bright start at Villa] is exactly what he needed to do," Redknapp said on Sky Sports after Villa's 2-1 victory over Chelsea in February, where Rashford provided both assists. "He needed to get back playing... and you have got to enjoy it. If you can't enjoy it, you're in the wrong sport. And that's how it looked for such a long time.
"Right now, he looks like he's loving every second of it," Redknapp added. "He looks like he's involved, he's showing enthusiasm. All the things that were thrown at him when he was at Manchester United, he's now doing the opposite. He's got sweat on his face and he isn't jogging around looking like he doesn't want to be there. He looks like he wants to be in that claret and blue shirt."
Marcus Rashford and Ruben Amorim
His strong start at Villa Park suggests that stepping away - at least temporarily - from his boyhood club was the right call. After netting 30 goals in the 2022/23 season, his form declined significantly, and with tensions reportedly growing between him and Amorim, his long-term future at United remains uncertain.
Villa have the option to make Rashford’s move permanent with a £40million purchase clause included in the loan deal, but whether they will exercise it remains to be seen. Club officials are said to be impressed with his impact but will wait until the season ends before finalising a decision.
Financial considerations could also play a major role. Rashford is currently on a £300,000-per-week salary at United - approximately twice what Villa's top earners make. It also remains unclear whether he would be open to reducing his wages.
Rashford smiling during England training
The Manchester-born forward received just one England cap in 2024 and was left out of Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad - the first major tournament he had missed since making his international debut in 2016.
However, after being recalled by new England manager Thomas Tuchel this month, he started in consecutive games for the first time since 2023, helping the Three Lions secure victories over Albania and Latvia.