Stan Collymore has warned Marcus Rashford after the England international moved to Aston Villa.
Rashford joined Aston Villa on transfer deadline day of the 2025 January transfer window, on a loan move from Manchester United.
Collymore insists Rashford will not have an easy time at Villa Park and that there will be huge expectations.
“I’ve suggested for quite some time that Marcus Rashford needs to get away from Manchester United,” Collymore told DAZN.
“He’s been there, what, 15 years, and doesn’t know anything else. So, I think that when you go from a club like Manchester United, the temptation is to think that anywhere else is going to be easier. And I feel it’s actually going to be harder at Villa.
“Villa are in the Champions League. It’s a grand old club. A traditional and historically successful club. Villa have been competitive on and off for a long, long time. And so, Villa fans expect a level of commitment and performance. Every bit as much as Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, do. And you can feel it when you go into the ground.
“There are times against Celtic, 2-0 and cruising, gets back to 2-2, and players like Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins, fans are starting to get on their back – and that’s in the context of Villa doing really well.
“So, Marcus has to hit the ground running. His first half a dozen games, he needs to refresh, smile, make the optics look particularly good in terms that he’s happy to be there. Get the ball, get on those players.
“I think if he does the basics very well, then he can have a successful loan period. And then he’ll decide whether he’s got a future at Manchester United or not down the line.
“I’m cautiously optimistic, but with the caveat that he needs to realise that if he thinks that he’s taking a step down, and it’s going to be easier, he’s going to find it ten times harder.”
Aston Villa have the option to make Rashford’s move permanent at the end of the season.
