Marcus Rashford is settling into life abroad and relishing his loan spell at Barcelona. The one-time Manchester United wonderkid could make a permanent move next summer if they choose to activate a £26million option-to-buy clause.
That exists as part of their season-long loan deal with the Catalan giants. Aston Villa also had the option to buy during Rashford’s loan stint there, although their clause was £40million.
Despite a successful period at the club, Unai Emery’s side opted not to trigger it, with FFP concerns posing a problem for the Midlands outfit. While Rashford’s future in La Liga remains to be confirmed, reports are circulating in Spain that Barcelona will aim to sign him permanently.
The England international feels quite at home in Spain’s second city. Barcelona teammate Ronald Araujo shared a photo of himself and Rashford at a barbecue.
He captioned the post: “Barbecue, family and friends.” Rashford responded to the post with a heart emoji.
The forward also shared the same photo through his own Instagram account. Although a positive squad relationship can influence a player’s decision when considering a transfer, ultimately, the final call will be made by Barcelona’s executives.
Rashford has been given a boost in his Barcelona career as Deco, the club’s sporting director, publicly revealed their transfer plans, which seem to favour him. When questioned about the La Liga titan’s intentions for the January transfer window, Deco stated: “If we are doing well and there are no surprises, I don’t think it’s necessary.
“We know exactly where we can improve and the difficulties we face. Last season, we also went through some difficult moments, and we were able to overcome them.”
Rashford has already made an impact at Barca, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in just 16 appearances. That is more than he managed during his loan spell at Villa, despite playing one less game.
Barcelona’s manager, Hansi Flick, has expressed his admiration for Rashford, previously stating: “I am very happy with him. He can play on this level, and I am happy he shows it, for the fans and for the club, and also for the teammates, he is a very important player.”