While it would have been nice to see Aston Villa find a way to keep Marcus Rashford, his time while in the squad is highly fruitful and productive. This proved to be so much the case that the forward has received some attention from the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
With the latest news of Nico Williams remaining at Athletic Club, the potential of Rashford now joining the La Liga side becomes that much better. Williams had been seriously linked to joining Barca, but this latest development points to the increased likelihood of Rashford going to Spain.
This is only a possibility after what everyone witnessed from the England international while in B6. At Manchester, there wasn't too much hope of his being in the national team or joining forces with the top Bundesliga or La Liga side.
Rashford's stock was at an all-time low under Ruben Amorim. Under Unai Emery, however, the forward found a renewed spirit, and it translated to his performances on the pitch. Although it wasn't enough for the Portuguese manager to change his mind, the time at Villa was more than enough for other clubs to feel confident that they would be able to use him for the upcoming campaign.
Potential avenue for Aston Villa to consider exploring
In terms of Villa, Rashford's chapter will come to an end. It cannot be overstated how much his loan spell at the club helped the player and how much Emery benefitted from having the English player as an option during the second half of the 2024-2025 season.
It could be something that Villa explores more regularly. Finding disgruntled players who have potential may enable them to continue to find their best form under Emery. With a relatively low-risk investment, further loan deals could help Villa gauge potential future interest for talented players who are known to soon be on the lookout for a new home.