Aston Villa interested in former Chelsea target as Marcus Rashford replacement
Marcus Rashford appears unlikely to remain at Aston Villa (Picture: Getty) Aston Villa are exploring a deal for former Chelsea target Samu Aghehowa with Marcus Rashford unlikely to stay at the club, according to reports. Villa offered Rashford a loan exit from Manchester United after the forward found himself frozen out by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. And the England international enjoyed a bright start in Unai Emery’s side, notching up four goals and six assists in 17 appearances before suffering what appears to be a season-ending injury. The Midlands club have the option to sign Rashford for £40 million this summer, but reports suggest he does not want to join permanently in the summer and, instead, is keen to explore a move to Barcelona. Still looking to still add attacking firepower in the summer, the Sun reports that Villa have now turned their focus to Aghehowa who has scored 24 goals in 40 appearances for Porto this season. Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. The Premier League club are said to have sent scouts to Portugal last week to watch Aghehowa, and would surely have left impressed after he scored twice in a 3-1 win over Moreirense. The report adds that an offer in the region of £50m may be too good for Porto to turn down given the Portuguese side will be unable to offer Aghehowa Champions League football next season. Samu Aghehowa has enjoyed a superb first season at Porto (Picture: Getty) Last summer, Aghehowa came close to joining Chelsea after a €40 million (£34.5m) deal had been agreed with Atletico Madrid. However, Chelsea had concerns over an ankle issue during Aghehowa’s medical, while the striker was unhappy with the Premier League club’s request over image rights and the move ended up collapsing in early August. Porto went on to sign Aghehowa from Atletico for an initial €15m (£12.7m) for 50 per cent of his rights, while the Portuguese club have the option to purchase a further 30 per cent for €10m (£8.3m) by 2026. Speaking shortly after his move to Stamford Bridge collapsed, Aghehowa insisted that God had played a part in the breakdown of the deal. ‘We had a really bad time because in the end everyone knows that I was close to signing, but it’s true that if it didn’t happen, it was for a reason, because God didn’t want it,’ he told Spanish outlet RTVE. ‘I’m also very grateful to Porto for giving me the opportunity when things looked at their worst, and I’m very happy with where I am now.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Aston Villa are exploring a deal for former Chelsea target Samu Aghehowa with Marcus Rashford unlikely to stay at the club, according to reports.
Villa offered Rashford a loan exit from Manchester United after the forward found himself frozen out by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
And the England international enjoyed a bright start in Unai Emery’s side, notching up four goals and six assists in 17 appearances before suffering what appears to be a season-ending injury.
The Midlands club have the option to sign Rashford for £40 million this summer, but reports suggest he does not want to join permanently in the summer and, instead, is keen to explore a move to Barcelona.
Still looking to still add attacking firepower in the summer, the Sun reports that Villa have now turned their focus to Aghehowa who has scored 24 goals in 40 appearances for Porto this season.
Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.
The Premier League club are said to have sent scouts to Portugal last week to watch Aghehowa, and would surely have left impressed after he scored twice in a 3-1 win over Moreirense.
The report adds that an offer in the region of £50m may be too good for Porto to turn down given the Portuguese side will be unable to offer Aghehowa Champions League football next season.
Last summer, Aghehowa came close to joining Chelsea after a €40 million (£34.5m) deal had been agreed with Atletico Madrid.
However, Chelsea had concerns over an ankle issue during Aghehowa’s medical, while the striker was unhappy with the Premier League club’s request over image rights and the move ended up collapsing in early August.
Porto went on to sign Aghehowa from Atletico for an initial €15m (£12.7m) for 50 per cent of his rights, while the Portuguese club have the option to purchase a further 30 per cent for €10m (£8.3m) by 2026.
Speaking shortly after his move to Stamford Bridge collapsed, Aghehowa insisted that God had played a part in the breakdown of the deal.
‘We had a really bad time because in the end everyone knows that I was close to signing, but it’s true that if it didn’t happen, it was for a reason, because God didn’t want it,’ he told Spanish outlet RTVE.
‘I’m also very grateful to Porto for giving me the opportunity when things looked at their worst, and I’m very happy with where I am now.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
