Manchester United and Marcus Rashford seem to be heading for a separation, and it is now only the terms of the breakup that remain to be clarified. The Red Devils want a permanent transfer, but Rashford’s suitors currently prefer a loan.
Aston Villa, where Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan, were also interested in keeping him, but the England international has so far rejected their approaches. His preferred destination seems to be Barcelona.
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Newcastle United enter the Rashford hunt
According to Caught Offside, Newcastle United have now made contact regarding Rashford. They just saw a €52.7 million bid rejected by Nottingham Forest for Anthony Elanga, and have now turned their attention to Rashford. Although United’s price tag of €47 million is lower than their bid for Elanga, Newcastle prefer a loan from Rashford.
Rashford awaits Barcelona opportunity
All indications are that Rashford is sticking to what the Catalan media has claimed: he is willing to wait for a move to Barcelona. The club’s priority in this transfer window is Nico Williams, and Rashford was seen as a more affordable option. Recently, however, it has been claimed that the two deals are not mutually exclusive, and that Rashford could be an option as a striker rather than on the left wing.
Can Barcelona fund both?
It seems highly unlikely that Barcelona will have the finances to sign both Rashford and Williams if they sign the English player on a permanent basis. A loan with an option to buy is the Blaugrana’s preferred model, and recently Joan Fontes referred to Rashford and suggested that the negotiations were “very, very hot”.
Can Rashford become Barcelona’s new number nine?
The competition for the place would then be fierce. Despite Robert Lewandowski’s 42 goals last season, it was repeatedly questioned whether Ferran Torres was a better fit for Hansi Flick’s system. The strange thing about a possible Rashford transfer is that Torres, after a strong season, would have to fight for playing time with Rashford.
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Will this be the most exciting transfer saga of the summer? Time will tell – but the battle for Rashford is in full swing.
