'An incredible few months' - Marcus Rashford sends heartfelt message to Aston Villa after injury-curtailed loan but stops short of saying goodbye with door open to permanent return from Man Utd

The England international saw injury prevent him from finishing a stint at Villa Park with a flourish, with his last appearance coming on April 22 as he registered his fourth goal for the Villans in a Premier League clash with Manchester City.

Rashford had been hoping to make more of an impact in the West Midlands, after being deemed surplus to requirements by Manchester United in the winter transfer window, but does have some fond memories to look back on - having helped Villa to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the Champions League quarter-finals.

Villa’s loan deal is said to include a £40 million ($54m) purchase option, with United ready to offload a graduate of their famed academy system. Rashford has, however, been linked with clubs across Europe, including La Liga giants Barcelona.

He is giving little away when it comes to his future plans, saying in a post on Instagram: "Just a message of thanks to everyone here at Villa for what has (injury aside) been an incredible few months for me.

"It is a really special club and I appreciated the way Villa fans embraced me with open arms from 1st minute on the pitch. Manager, team, and coaching staff have all been brilliant. I know it is a huge disappointment not to have made the Champions League place which everyone worked so hard all season for but I know this club and team will come back stronger."

Villa may struggle to finance a deal for Rashford after finishing the 2024-25 Premier League campaign in sixth spot. They have Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) to contend with, which will impact their plans for the summer transfer window.