Marcus Rashford's potential loan move to Barcelona has taken a decisive step forward, with the Manchester United forward agreeing to a notable salary reduction.
At 27, Rashford has been sidelined by Manchester United’s manager Ruben Amorim since their Europa League match against Viktoria Plzen on December 12.
Rashford’s desire to leave Old Trafford has been well-documented, and the situation has been fraught with tension due to Amorim’s harsh comments. He stated he would prefer to select a 63-year-old goalkeeper coach over the English star.
Barcelona, Rashford’s preferred destination, is close to offloading a promising young player to fund his signing. However, the deal is complicated by United’s valuation of Rashford at over 50 million pounds and his weekly wage of 325,000 pounds.
Despite these hurdles, Fichajes reported that Rashford has taken a “big step” by accepting Barcelona’s loan terms, significantly reducing his salary to make a move “very convincing”.
Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s coach, is keen on incorporating Rashford into his team. Negotiations for a loan until June reportedly cost Barcelona 3 million euros. Yet, Barcelona must still manage to free up additional funds, possibly through the sale of players like Ansu Fati or Eric Garcia.
Despite the buzz, Sky Sports News reporter Melissa Reddy has pointed out that Barcelona has not yet made formal contact with United regarding the loan. “Amorim is not convinced of Marcus Rashford’s behavior and his professionalism if he has to stay at the close of this window,” Reddy said, highlighting the complexities of the deal due to Barcelona’s financial constraints and Flick’s contentment with his current squad.
Meanwhile, the Turkish transfer window offers a different path, with Fenerbahce still monitoring Rashford’s situation, providing an extended opportunity until February 11 to secure his services if the Barcelona move falls through.
In other transfer news, Manchester United are in discussions with Roma about transferring Casemiro to the Italian club, with the Brazilian midfielder having been out of the team lineup this year.
Additionally, United are close to sealing their first signing of the Amorim era, with English youngster Ayden Heaven set to join from Arsenal as confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Lastly, there’s talk of a potential swap deal involving United’s Alejandro Garnacho moving to Chelsea for Christopher Nkunku, although former United player Gary Neville has advised against it, expressing concerns about Nkunku’s performance at Chelsea.
These developments continue to shape a dynamic transfer window, with Rashford’s future still hanging in the balance as deadlines loom.
