• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
What happened to the only English footballer to play for Barcelona this century before Marcus Rashford

Home> Football> La Liga> FC Barcelona

Published 06:00 24 Jul 2025 GMT+1

What happened to the only English footballer to play for Barcelona this century before Marcus Rashford

He shared the dressing room with Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Marcus Rashford will follow in the footsteps of Marcus McGuane and become only the second Englishman to represent Barcelona this century after he completed his dream move to the Spanish giants.

After landing in Catalonia on Sunday night, Rashford joined up with Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco at the club's Ciutat Esportiva training ground on Monday ahead of his official unveiling on Wednesday.

Rashford, who will wear the number 14 shirt in the coming months, has joined on a season-long loan deal from Manchester United that is said to include an option to buy for €35 million, which equates to around £30.3 million.

As mentioned above, he will become the second Englishman to play for Barcelona this century, seven years after Marcus McGuane made his first-team debut for the Catalan side.

Advert

McGuane made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2018. Image credit: Getty
McGuane made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2018. Image credit: Getty

McGuane, who joined Barca from Arsenal in 2018, came on as a substitute for their Catalan Super Cup clash against Espanyol in March 2018 – a cameo that made him the first Englishman to play for Barcelona since Gary Lineker 29 years earlier.

Marcus McGuane opens up on his spell at Barcelona alongside Lionel Messi and co

McGuane recently admitted he was "not mentally ready" to deal with a move to Barcelona so early on in his career.

Advert

"I feel like when I was a little bit younger I'd been given quite a lot early and there was high expectations of me and maybe I wasn't, I'm not sure, mentally ready for everything," McGuane told BBC Radio Bristol's Sound of the City.

"I wasn't in the right mind frame to be able to deal with everything at certain times.

"I feel like I've grown, I've learned my trade. I've had real tough, difficult times in football and I feel like it just makes you more grateful for everything you do have and definitely makes you mentally stronger so I wouldn't change it for the world."

He added: "I remember going into the changing room the first time and being greeted by the likes of Iniesta, Busquets, Messi, Pique, Suarez. Being a young boy from where I was from - I grew up in Woolwich - it's a big contrast to that type of life.

Advert

"Going there opened my eyes up, it opened my eyes up to how humble people are, the culture and how they are. I had some fantastic opportunities there that I will take with me and cherish my whole life."

The midfielder would make a total of 24 appearances for Barcelona B and spent time on loan at Eerste Divisie side Telstar before leaving Spain to join Nottingham Forest, who were in the Championship at the time.

Like his spell in Spain, McGuane struggled for opportunities at Forest and In the summer of 2020, the midfielder joined Oxford United on a season-long loan, where he would make 21 appearances before joining on a permanent deal.

Advert

He would go on to play 152 games across a four-year spell with Oxford and thrived under Liam Manning, who certainly got the best out of McGuane as he eventually secured a move to Championship outfit Bristol City in 2024.

This week, McGuane joined League One side Huddersfield Town on a three-year deal.

Featured Image Credit: X/@samuelmarsden

Topics: Marcus Rashford, Barcelona, La Liga, Spain, Transfers, Premier League, Arsenal

Jack Kenmare
Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is the Senior Journalist for SPORTbible, one of the world’s biggest social publishers. He specialises in long-form feature writing and has an encyclopedic knowledge of Football Manager wonderkids from 2005 to the present day. He has a BA (Hons) in Journalism and News Practice.

X

@jackkenmare_

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Marcus Rashford Handed Major Barcelona Transfer Blow Out Of His Control
  • Barcelona Make Early Decision on Signing Marcus Rashford Permanently From Man Utd
  • Marcus Rashford Names Two Barcelona Teammates Who've Impressed Him Most
  • Barcelona Star Set to Leave as Marcus Rashford Decision Made

Choose your content:

2 mins ago
an hour ago
3 hours ago
  • Sky Sports
    2 mins ago

    Man Utd Fans Slam Gary Neville for What He Said on Commentary vs Brighton

    Manchester United were in Premier League action against Brighton and Hove Albion.

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    Chelsea Fans Slam Enzo Maresca for Decision on One Player in Sunderland Defeat

    Chelsea suffered a last-gasp defeat to newly promoted Sunderland after they led at Stamford Bridge.

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    Man Utd Takeover Update as New Details of ‘Secret’ UAE Consortium Revealed

    A consortium from the Middle East has been linked with buying Manchester United.

    Football
  • Getty
    3 hours ago

    Donnarumma Settles Mbappe vs Haaland Debate with Clear Answer

    Gianluigi Donnarumma has played with both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, two of the leading players in world football.

    Football