Rashford is eager for a move to Barcelona and both sporting director Deco and manager Hansi Flick are keen on the player
Marcus Rashford could be near the end of his turbulent Manchester United career, with Barcelona emerging as a serious contender to offer the England forward a lifeline in La Liga.
The 27-year-old’s representatives met with Barcelona sporting director Deco on Wednesday to discuss the terms of a possible move, according to SPORT.
The meeting, held at a hotel in Barcelona, comes after Deco’s comments in March that Barcelona admire both Rashford and Liverpool’s Luis Diaz. Diaz would be a much more difficult deal to do than Rashford. Both Deco and first-team boss Hansi Flick are also intrigued by Rashford’s “extreme motivation” to play in a blaugrana shirt.
Flick loves the player’s explosive pace and sees him as a solid addition to his attack, where he would be an alternative to Raphinha on the left.
United have made it clear that they will accept £40 million for Rashford’s signature. The England international still has three years remaining on his current deal, signed in 2023, which sees him earning over £300,000 a week. United are eager to offload several high earners this summer both for the financial health of the club and in order to sign more suitable players for head coach Ruben Amorim.
Barcelona, however, have some well-documented financial struggles. The club remain constrained by La Liga’s spending restrictions and would find it difficult to pay both the £40 million fee for Rashford and his current salary.
Barca’s recruitment department are considering a loan with an option to buy, according to SPORT. However, United might be disinclined towards a deal that would make them continue to pay a portion of Rashford’s significant wages.
