Marcus Rashford’s agent and brother, Dwaine Maynard, was seen in the directors’ box at the Etihad Stadium during Manchester City’s recent 2-1 win over Aston Villa, raising fresh speculation over the forward’s future.
Maynard was seated near City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain and his expected successor Hugo Viana as the match unfolded, with Rashford scoring Villa’s equaliser from the penalty spot before Matheus Nunes secured a late winner for the home side.
The 26-year-old forward is currently on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United, but his long-term future remains unclear. Rashford is understood to favour a move to a Champions League club should Villa not trigger the option to make the deal permanent for around £40m. A move to London is said to be unlikely, with the England international reportedly reluctant to relocate to the capital.
While there is currently no concrete suggestion that Rashford is being considered as part of Pep Guardiola’s summer overhaul, nor any indication that Manchester United would entertain the idea of selling the academy graduate to their crosstown rivals, Maynard’s presence at the Etihad has not gone unnoticed.
Rashford, a boyhood United fan, has endured a turbulent season and has been at the centre of increasing speculation regarding a potential move away from Old Trafford. Should a dramatic switch to Manchester City ever materialise, it would represent one of the most sensational transfers in Premier League history.