Barcelona have officially entered negotiations with Manchester United to secure Marcus Rashford on a permanent basis following his resurgent loan spell in Spain, though the Catalan giants are aiming to negotiate a deal below his €30 million (£26m) option to buy.
Despite tight finances, President Joan Laporta has prioritized the 28-year-old—who has tallied seven goals and 11 assists this term—as a “sensible” long-term successor to the departing Robert Lewandowski.
While United prefer a clean break this summer, expert Andy Brassell notes that Rashford remains the most logical target for Barca because “they know he works there already” and “if they go out there and try and buy someone of Marcus Rashford’s quality on the open market, it’s going to be a heck of a lot more expensive.”
With the forward reportedly unwilling to engage with other suitors and United’s leadership still intent on moving him on, both clubs are expected to ramp up talks toward the end of the season to find a “financially palatable” solution.