Update: |Marcus Rashford told he is ‘not the answer’ at Aston Villa as Man United return links intensify News

Marcus Rashford has impressed for Aston Villa since joining on loan from Manchester United, but Ben Foster has questioned whether he is the right type of player for Unai Emery

A former Manchester United keeper has cast doubt over Marcus Rashford’s suitability for Aston Villa in the long run. Since joining on loan from the Red Devils in early February, the 27-year-old has enjoyed a surge in form, netting three times with four assists in 12 games.

Villa have the option to turn Rashford’s stint from United into a permanent move for £40million after his notable performances secured an England recall in Thomas Tuchel’s opening selection. However, ex-United stopper Ben Foster has voiced concerns regarding his compatibility with Unai Emery’s squad, particularly highlighting queries on his work rate.

Foster, who also had spells at West Brom and Wrexham, voiced his views following Rashford’s second-half appearance in Villa’s 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest. It raises the question over whether Rashford will return to United in the summer.

Speaking on his ‘Fozcast’ podcast, Foster said: “I don’t know if Rashford is going to be the answer. When he came on in the Forest game the other day, they were 2-0 up at the time and I was thinking, ‘What would Rashford’s objectives be here?’

“I think when Emery brought him on, he would’ve said, ‘Right Marcus, we’re 2-0 up and Forest had some good chances in that first half. I’m going to need you to get hold of the ball for me. I’m going to need you to try and get it down and get us up the pitch’.

“There were a couple of times where they went long to him, and he was not willing to stick his head up there. He’s not willing to get hurt physically and the ball just came back.”

While Rashford has thrived on loan, Ruben Amorim appears to have had no second thoughts about letting him leave Old Trafford. Just last week, the United coach raised questions over Rashford’s commitment, highlighting that he could reach great heights “if he wants” to.

Amorim said: “I know Rashford really well and everybody knows the talent that he has. He’s a top player – if he wants [to be]. So I’m not surprised. It’s a good thing we see our players doing well on loan in a different context. I’m planning the future, but I don’t want to talk about the future at this moment. I just want to focus on the game.”

Rashford’s present manager Emery also shed light on whether there are plans to make the forward’s move permanent. Speaking after Villa’s win over Preston in the FA Cup, Emery said: “Not yet…a decision about each individual player, it is to get the best of them and the best of us. We don’t want to waste time thinking about it.”

Emery has spoken further about Rashford’s situation this week. He said: “He is a good guy, he is humble, he is a very good professional player, he is really happy with his teammates, he has been demanding himself in everything. We want to work with him, with the team.

“I think he is playing freely, he is playing comfortably, and this is the most important. We are trying to connect with him as a person firstly, and after that to connect with him as a player.”

He added: “We are seeing him smiling, it is the best news we can have. I am seeing him happy, I am seeing him committed with everything we are doing.”