According to Fabrizio Romano, an agreement is in place for Villa to cover 70 percent of Rashford's £325,000-a-week salary in a loan for the rest of the season. He adds there is a £40m ($49.5m/€48.8m) buy option, with a potential three-and-a-half-year deal to follow. A medical is booked for Sunday, too.

Rashford hinted he wanted a United exit six weeks ago, but few would have expected the England international to be left out of the team for nearly two months amid an ongoing feud with head coach Ruben Amorim. But finally, after failed moves, matchday banishments and other false dawns, the 27-year-old seems to be heading for the Old Trafford exit.

Villa have been on the lookout for a forward after selling striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr late last month. If picked, Rashford could play alongside England team-mate Ollie Watkins in Unai Emery's attack.

Time is running out for Villa, who four places and eight points ahead of 12th-placed United, to get this deal done as the winter transfer window shuts at 11pm on Monday night.