Aston Villa close in on loan deals for Marco Asensio, Marcus Rashford

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Aston Villa is on the verge of securing loan deals for Spain midfielder Marco Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, with both players expected to join before the January transfer window closes at 23:00 GMT on Monday.

While the exact timing of the signings remains unclear, the club aims to finalize the paperwork soon. Rashford is scheduled for a medical before completing his move, while Asensio, 29, will arrive having scored seven goals in 47 appearances for PSG since joining from Real Madrid in 2023. Asensio also boasts a French league title and 38 caps for Spain, with previous stints at Mallorca and Espanyol.

Villa has been active in the transfer market this January, signing Spanish full-back Andres Garcia from Levante and Netherlands forward Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund. Outgoing deals include Colombia striker Jhon Duran’s £71m move to Al-Nassr and centre-back Diego Carlos’s transfer to Fenerbahce for £8.45m.

Following a 2-0 defeat to Wolves on Saturday that left Villa eighth in the Premier League, manager Unai Emery emphasized the need for reinforcements to bolster the squad. Villa remains well-positioned, having secured a top-eight finish in the Champions League group stage and advancing to the last 16 of the competition.