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

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.

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.

"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.

"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."

Marcus McGuane training with Lionel Messi today. Must be the only Englishman to boast that honour? pic.twitter.com/Ogx8lVt0nq

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) August 3, 2018

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.

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.