Player wants Barcelona move this summer; Catalan club prefer Athletic Club winger Nico Williams
Marcus Rashford has seen his transfer plans hit a brick wall, with Barcelona moving full steam ahead in their pursuit of Nico Williams.
If the Manchester United forward is unable to find a club by July he may be forced to return to Carrington to begin pre-season training.
Barcelona are close to a deal with Athletic Club winger Williams, who already has a personal agreement in place with the Catalans and is pushing to make the move happen quickly. The 22-year-old plays primarily on the left, the same position Rashford prefers, which could complicate the player’s hopes of landing a dream move to Catalonia.
Rashford remains open to the idea of joining Barcelona. The Times reported that the player is waiting for the club’s next move and would even be happy to play in any role across the attack.
Manchester United will let the 27-year-old leave for a fee of £40m. Other top clubs besides Barcelona, notably AC Milan, have been linked to the player in the past but it is not clear if they still retain an interest. Newcastle United have also been linked to the player.
In the meantime, Rashford has been staying sharp by training in Marbella during his holiday. If no deal is struck early in the summer, he’ll have to return to Manchester United. However, United head coach Ruben Amorim has made it clear that only players who are committed to the club will be part of the squad travelling to the US for their pre-season tour. Which means that Rashford is among four players who will be forced to stay behind and train at Carrington.
