Prince William 'not involved in crunch talks with transfer targets' despite his connections
Prince William was not involved in any talks with Marcus Rashford before he joined Aston Villa despite the royal's existing connection with the forward, a source has claimed.The heir to the throne is a devoted Aston Villa supporter and knew Rashford before he joined Unai Emery’s side.The Prince of Wales is regularly seen cheering on the Birmingham-based football club at Villa Park.In February, Aston Villa completed the loan signing of Manchester United forward Rashford until the end of the season.Prince William was not involved in any talks with Marcus Rashford before he joined Aston Villa despite the royal's existing connection with the forward, a source has claimed.GettyThe deal includes a £40m option to buy the 27-year-old striker.Rashford chose Villa over several other interested clubs, citing the team's playing style and their manager's ambition as key factors in his decision.Rashford had already met Prince William before his move to Villa Park.In 2021, the forward received an MBE from the future king at Windsor Castle.The honour was awarded by Prince William in recognition of Rashford's campaigning work for school meals during the pandemic.Rashford chose Villa over several other interested clubs, citing the team's playing style and their manager's ambition as key factors in his decision.GettyAt the ceremony, Rashford announced he would dedicate the honour to his mother, Melanie Maynard.She had raised him and his siblings, supporting him throughout his journey to becoming both a football star and campaigner for social change.A source told the Mail that it was "hard to believe" that William would not have reached out to Rashford to help secure the deal for his beloved club.The insider suggested that since they "know each other already, it's even likelier" William would have spoken to him about joining Villa.However, a separate source with links to England firmly denied this claim.The heir to the throne is a devoted Aston Villa supporter and knew Rashford before he joined Unai Emery’s side.GettyThey stated there was "no way" William would have been involved in the transfer.This source added that the prince "doesn't overstep - but would do whatever he could to help Villa".Taking to Instagram after the move in February, Rashford wrote: "I would like to thank Manchester United and Aston Villa for making this loan deal happen."The footballer expressed his excitement about joining Villa and the new chapter in his career.He added: "I wish everyone at Manchester United all the best for the rest of the season."
Comments (0)