Aston Villa forward Marcus Rashford has revealed his excitement over joining the club on loan, while he has clear objectives during his time with us this season.
The 27-year-old has joined us for the rest of the season, while it has been reported that Villa hold an option to buy in the summer, as per the link below, and so it remains to be seen whether or not he does enough to convince us to exercise that option and sign him outright.
READ MORE: Villa confirm Rashford loan signing, details of deal touted
For now, the focus for the England international is to rediscover his confidence and best form and for Villa to improve our current standing in the Premier League, as well as advance in the Champions League and FA Cup.
Rashford will certainly help in giving Unai Emery another key option in the final third, and with the versatility to play across the frontline, it will be fascinating to see where he is most effective, as he faces stiff competition for a starting berth from the likes of Ollie Watkins, Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers.
With doubts and question marks being raised over Rashford’s application in training by Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim, and subsequently he had fallen out of favour at Old Trafford, the Villa loanee has to prove himself in the coming weeks and months to show us that he’s ready to make the most of this opportunity.
He’s made a good start in his first interview since joining the club, as not only did he reveal his excitement over this fresh start, one that he badly needed to get his career back on track, but he also insists that he wants to make a lasting impression in the coming months to show what he’s about, and to help us continue to progress and turn our ambitions into reality.
“It’s an ambitious time for this club and a great opportunity for me to join the team and help them keep pushing forward. I’m excited, can’t wait for the first training session and obviously the first game,” he told VillaTV. “(Unai Emery is) a top manager and what he’s done at the club since he’s come to Villa is unbelievable.
“It’s the constant ambition that’s attractive, and it’s why you want to join such a club. You want to keep improving year on year, and that’s what the team has been doing and are doing this year. It’s a club that’s in a good position in the league, and they’re pushing to get higher. Still in the Champions League, a good, ambitious manager and great talent in the squad.
“I’ve had to choose somewhere where I feel my style of football is suited to, and can help them and help me rediscover and improve as a player.
“Obviously it’s only short-term I’m here, so I want to make the most of my time here, and the only way to do that is by using my attributes and my skillset to help the team.”
“I think it’s clear. We’re obviously still in the Champions League, we want to go as far as we can in that.
“If you don’t aim to win it, you’re never going to win it. That’ll be my main objective, and keep pushing in the league to get as high as possible.
“I know I can hurt teams, I know when I’m playing at my best, I can decide football games.
“That’ll be my only ambition and only goal, to help the team win more games, more points and hopefully create history.”
Words are one thing, it’s now on Rashford and Villa to make it work, but this will certainly help build belief and confidence that he’s here for the right reasons and will put himself in the best possible condition and space to thrive.
Time will tell if it ultimately proves to be a temporary stint that ends in the summer, but with Villa also bolstering our attack with the signing of Donyell Malen this month while Leon Bailey continues to strive to rediscover his form from last season, we have a dangerous attacking unit, and it’s on Emery and the coaching staff to ensure that it clicks in the most devastating fashion.
On paper, the thought of Ramsey, Rogers, Rashford and Watkins working together on the counter-attack and in transition sounds like an absolute nightmare of opposition defences, but it has to spark into life on the pitch for all concerned to make the most of this move.