Barcelona have plans to address multiple areas of Hansi Flick’s squad in the summer, and the wing situation is one of them. A decision is still to be made on whether Marcus Rashford will join permanently from Manchester United, or whether an alternative signing will be sought.
Rashford has impressed since arriving at Barcelona last summer, but in the last couple of months, he has slowed down. 10 goals and 10 appearances is an impressive return for the 28-year-old, but he has blanked in his last six matches across all competitions.
Considering his age, and the fact that he is undoubtedly Raphinha’s understudy, there are doubts about whether spending €30m would be the best use of Barcelona’s limited funds. The Catalans would prefer to agree a second loan deal, but Man United are not prepared to sanction this, and with good reason.
Man United want to get Rashford off their books as soon as possible, and if Barcelona are not the ones to do it, they will look elsewhere. They are aware that the England international has a number of suitors, with CaughtOffside reporting that Paris Saint-Germain and Milan are both keen on a summer deal.
What should Barcelona do about Rashford?
There is no doubt that Rashford has been a success at Barcelona, and while he would absolutely love to remain at the club beyond the end of the season, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify a permanent deal. It makes much more sense for a younger profile to arrive as more of a developmental signing, as was the case on the opposite flank when Roony Bardghji joined last summer.
Even if Barcelona secure a return to La Liga’s 1:1 rule before the summer, they will need to raise – and save – funds for big-name centre-back and striker signings. Taking this into account, the €30m for Rashford may be better used elsewhere.
