Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford warms up at Villa Park
Marcus Rashford has looked a different player at Aston Villa after his struggles at Man United
Marcus Rashford has sent a message on social media which is likely to raise eyebrows at Manchester United.
The Reds forward has enjoyed a mini-resurgence on loan at Aston Villa after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. Rashford has three assists in nine matches with his performances helping Unai Emery's team reach the Champions League quarterfinals against PSG next month.
Villa have the option to sign United's academy graduate on a permanent deal this summer, which would be a welcome boost to United's dire PSR position. The 27-year-old looks almost certain to have played his final game for the Reds, and his latest social media activity will not have endeared him to the club's fans.
Rashford has posted a picture of himself on Instagram working hard in the gym as he prepares for Villa's FA Cup quarterfinal against Preston on Sunday. "The extra one per cent," he said in the caption.
The forward's post has received several likes from United players past and present. Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee, and David de Gea have been among those who have shown their support.
It shows that the winger maintains a positive relationship with the United dressing room and is unlikely to face much opposition among the current squad if he returns this summer.
But his statement of giving an extra one per cent will draw ire from some. Many have questioned Rashford's work ethic from his time at M16 amid suspicions that the talented forward could be doing more.
The pressures of playing for the Reds are greater than most clubs in the world, and Rashford deserves some sympathy for crumbling under that weight at times. His tears at the full-time whistle after United won the FA Cup last season showed that he genuinely cared, even if his performances sometimes told a different story.
Only Rashford will know how much more he could have given at United, particularly when Amorim arrived at Carrington in November from Sporting Lisbon. The Portuguese head coach stated his belief that the Reds' star was not giving 100 per cent in training.
And yet Rashford can silence some of his doubters by demonstrating his abilities in the final few months of the 2024/25 campaign. If the England international performs well, Villa and United can take some positives out of the deal.
Emery's team will get a player who could fire them to a first major trophy since 1996, and the Reds will earn pure profit from a sale. The closing stages of 2024/25 feel like a huge period for the man who arrived at Old Trafford as a seven-year-old.