[MD] Rashford's permanent transfer possibility to Barcelona is increasing

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By. Fernando Polo

Marcus Rashford (28, England) is proving the quality Barcelona expected when they chose to loan him last summer. He has recorded 7 goals and 9 assists in 23 games, clearly showing his influence on the team and his excellent adaptation despite being on loan. While the burden of being a loan player usually affects those in similar situations, he has performed very well and significantly helped the team stay competitive during the two months Raphinha was sidelined due to two muscle injuries—a major headache for Hansi Flick. On loan from Manchester United until June 30 next year, his performance has been satisfactory so far. For these reasons, and based on the current situation, Barca's sports department is leaning towards activating the permanent purchase option set at 30 million euros next summer.

Rashford is highly valued as a versatile attacker who can play both wings and as a central striker, offering Flick many options even when other attackers are injured. He is also a forward who threatens opposing defenders, capable of beating them in static situations and exploiting space with explosive speed. Furthermore, since Barca often faces teams that sit deep, he possesses a crucial weapon: his ability to take powerful long-range shots, usable both in open play and from free kicks.

Another positive is the accuracy of his passes and crosses into the box. This is evident in finishing situations, free kicks, and corner kicks, confirmed by his 9 assists record. Barca also values that he creates competition within the forward line, raising the team's overall intensity and focus. For these reasons, it is now more likely that he will become an official Barca player next summer. However, it remains to be seen what performance he will show in the crucial latter half of the season, and how he reacts if his playing time decreases now that Raphinha is back to full fitness and starting again. Regardless, he has adapted very well to Barcelona, and there is high internal satisfaction with his loan performance during the early season.

Rashford was not the number one transfer target when Barca considered strengthening the left flank. Luis Díaz, then at Liverpool, was the top priority, but the signing was impossible due to Barca's FFP issues. Díaz eventually moved to Bayern Munich for 75m euros and is proving his excellent quality. The cheaper alternative was Rashford, which is why Barca brought him in on loan with a €30m purchase option. He is currently under contract with Man Utd until 2028, and it is known that Man Utd's Ruben Amorim does not plan to include him in his plans for the 2026/27 season. Over the next few months, Barca will make a decision on Rashford's future. https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20251219/1002589147/rashford-sube-enteros-seguir-barca.html