There are always a lot of moving parts during the season itself. For Aston Villa there is an expected uptick of activity now during the summer. While speaking with Canal Sur Radio, the club's President of Footballing Operations, Monchi, discussed what their current aims are moving forward.
During the interview, Monchi directly addressed the ongoing situations surrounding Marcus Rashford and Emiliano Martínez. As shared by the Aston Villa Español Fans account on X, he made it clear the Villa wishes to keep both players.
Even addressing the tears at the end of the final Villa Park fixture for the season from 'Dibu,' the Spanish executive read that moment as more of an emotional display of gratitude over anything else. In any event, it looks like the decision will rest with Martínez.
As of now, there are reports indicating that there have not been any formal offers. If the Argentina international were to express a willingness to leave, for whatever reason, it is safe to say that he would be in high demand if available on the open player market.
For now, it looks more likely than not that the Villa No. 1 will remain at Villa.
Rashford too is in something of an interesting situation. While other clubs are potentially interested in his services, to date nothing has been finalized. Offers from other sides could attract the England international depending on the situation. As long as he is still available, however, the odds of him choosing Villa increase.
Why Aston Villa are encouraged by the attacker
In a post that was also shared by the Aston Villa Español Fans account on X, Monchi spoke as to why Villa are keen on finding a way to keep Rashford:
"Unai has brought out the best version of Rashford... He has developed a strong bond with the club and Unai."
In sport, chemistry is the hardest thing to achieve. There is rarely if ever an instance when a side can run things back with the exact same squad. Keeping as many of the same players as possible and building on last season's success would be a great boost for Villa's chances during the 2025-2026 campaign.
It appears that Villa will at least attempt to make this approach a reality.