Aston Villa’s Rashford replacement? Emery targets sharp-shooting attacker in blow to Man Utd

Robin Bairner

Updated: 27 Mar 2025 08:06 CDT
8 min read

Marcus Rashford, Aston Villa, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Manchester United attacker Marcus Rashford has found himself in the eye of a storm this week, and a tough few days could be about to get even trickier for him as loan club Aston Villa are targeting a new forward.

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Rashford’s performance on England duty against Latvia was criticised, with fans claiming that he dived in the early stages of the match to try to win a penalty.

Current ETV

Marcus Rashford

M, AM (L), F (C)

Aston Villa

Marcus Rashford

M, AM (L), F (C)

Aston Villa

ETV Range

€52.2M - €63.8M

On top of this, his lack of end product against a weak opponent after he had taken up promising positions highlighted his current lack of effectiveness. He has not scored since 1 December against Everton.

Ian Wright was among those calling for the attacker to be dropped. He said on Wrighty’s House: “If Marcus carried on taking him on and made it exciting, got some crosses in, you’d think, yeah, but it just feels like, right, you’ve had two goes there, my friend.

“We’re going to have to bring someone else in, because again, it’s 18 months.”

Aston Villa linked with Ekitike

Now Aston Villa are linked with Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, a forward who has no problems being efficient in front of goal this season, by TBR Football.

The 22-year-old France U21 international has struck 13 times in 25 Bundesliga matches for his side and has added four assists to this figure.

Furthermore, he was in eye-catching form as he netted a hat-trick against England U21 in a 5-3 win last week.

Indeed, Ekitike has been one of the top-performing attackers in the Bundesliga this season, according to SciSports. The data analytics company highlights his finishing as a particular strength, outperforming Rashford’s England team-mate Harry Kane in this particular category.

Hugo Ekitike vs Bundesliga strikers: Overall performance

With Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United all linked with the Frenchman, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €42.3m, he will be a hard player to pin down, yet his quality is clear.

Finances are likely to make it impossible for Aston Villa to sign both Rashford and Ekitike in the summer.

Man Utd will be desperately hoping they can do a deal with the England winger, who they are banking on selling this summer in order to ease their Profit and Sustainability issues.

With Rashford yet to really take off at Villa Park and posting one of the biggest salaries in the Premier League, he continues to look like he will be a difficult player for the Old Trafford side to sell. If Villa don’t take him, it’s difficult to see who might.