Raphael Varane admits he was surprised by Marcus Rashford ’s decision to leave Manchester United and join Aston Villa in the January transfer window. Rashford had attracted interest from several clubs last month including AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona but ended up joining Villa on loan for the remainder of the season.

Former Manchester United defender Raphael Varane, a teammate of Marcus Rashford at Old Trafford, is pleased to see that the forward has changed his environment as he seeks to rediscover his very best form - but he admits himself surprised that Rashford ended up at Aston Villa.

Aston Villa have been told they face an uphill task of signing Marcus Rashford this summer, with the Manchester United outcast reportedly setting his sights elsewhere.