Marcus Rashford would ‘safeguard’ homegrown players Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho from leaving Manchester United if Aston Villa activate the buy option clause in his contract.

It was widely reported in January that Mainoo and Garnacho could be sold by United in a bid to comply with profit and sustainability rules.

United were said to be ‘desperately’ trying to generate income to comply with the rules and with homegrown players being worth 100 per cent profit, Mainoo and Garnacho, would rake in around four times as much as others.

Eventually, the pair stayed put while Marcus Rashford joined Aston Villa on a loan deal until the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The deal to bring Rashford to Villa Park includes a £40 million buy option and a potential three-and-a-half-year contract to follow, according to Fabrizio Romano, who claims the Villains are covering 70 per cent of his £325,000 per-week wage.

If the buy option is activated, then Rashford would safeguard homegrown players Garnacho and Mainoo, according to the Manchester Evening News.

The report goes on to suggest that the club will have to be “more decisive” when it comes to discarding other academy products with re-sale value before naming the “unfathomably underused” Harry Amass as an example.

Amass was included in United’s first-team squad for their pre-season tour of America last summer but has yet to make a first-team appearance for the club, despite being named by Luke Shaw as the young player to look out for.

Rashford, meanwhile, is keen to join Aston Villa on a permanent deal, according to The Sun, who claim he wants to develop under manager Unai Emery.

In fact, Rashford has reportedly told friends that he feels revitalised under Emery and believes he is the right man to help him resurrect his international career ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

England boss Thomas Tuchel is said to be open to having Rashford back in the Three Lions squad. Thoughts on the situation? Let us know in the comments.