Here are the latest news following the end of the January transfer window, which has resulted in Tyrell Malacia officially leaving Manchester United and joining PSV Eindhoven on loan after Fabrizio Romano confirmed the deal late on.
Malacia Departs Following Dorgu’s Arrival
The Dutch full-back returns to the Eredivisie nearly three years after leaving Feyenoord to become Erik ten Hag’s first signing at Old Trafford. In his debut campaign, Malacia served primarily as Luke Shaw’s understudy, making 14 Premier League starts while featuring in the Europa League, FA Cup, and League Cup—the latter of which United won. However, a knee injury sustained on the final day of the 2022/23 season sidelined him for the entirety of the following campaign. Despite finally returning in November after 17 months of surgeries and setbacks, Malacia struggled to reclaim a place in the starting XI, even when Rúben Amorim had no senior left-backs available.
United’s £25 million acquisition of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce pushed Malacia further down the pecking order, making a move inevitable. After earlier suggestions that the deal had collapsed, Romano confirmed the switch was back on, with PSV covering the defender’s £75,000-a-week wages and holding an option to make the move permanent at the end of the 2024/25 season. Should that clause be triggered, Malacia would leave United having made just 47 appearances, with the club retaining a 30 per cent sell-on clause should he move elsewhere in the future.
Rashford Eyes Revival at Aston Villa
Marcus Rashford is set to play for a club other than Manchester United for the first time his career. The 27-year-old forward, who has spent 20 years at the club since joining as a child, has completed a loan move to Aston Villa until the end of the season, with the Midlands side holding an option to sign him permanently in the summer. Villa remain in the Champions League and FA Cup, having secured a place in the last 16 of Europe’s premier competition despite finishing eighth in the first phase. In the Premier League, they are firmly in the race for European qualification, sitting just four points behind Manchester City in fourth.
The circumstances surrounding Rashford’s exit remain unclear, particularly regarding his relationship with Amorim. However, given his long-standing service to the club, many United fans will wish him well—wherever his future lies. That future may not be entirely settled, though. In his first interview as a Villa player, Rashford hinted at the possibility of a return to Old Trafford. He said that Villa are in a good position and league and are eager to push for even higher, and that they are still doing good in the Champions League. Rashford also said kind words of the ambitious Unai Emery and great talent in the squad, but he also stated that he is at Villa Park only for the short term, and that he wants to make the most of his time in Birmingham. This clearly hints at Rashford’s eagerness to return to United in the summer and hopefully revive his career at Old Trafford.