Barcelona Line Up Marcus Rashford 'Alternative' as 16-Year-Old Meets with Club
Barcelona have lined up a potential 'alternative' to Marcus Rashford, as a 16-year-old star meets with the Spanish giants.
Rashford has enjoyed an impressive start to life in Spain, after joining Barcelona on loan over the summer.
The deal includes an option to make the transfer permanent for £26 million next summer, which could prove to be a bargain if Rashford continues his excellent form.
According to a report in The Sun, Barcelona have been impressed with both his work rate and the talent he has shown. A source told the newspaper: “Barcelona had an issue with signing Marcus initially, which was the club’s financial situation.
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“But they also thought United were playing a game because they were willing to let him go. They thought it was too good to be true — there must be something wrong with him.
"His brother Dwaine persuaded them there was nothing wrong — and that he wasn’t going to mess them about. Barca are now really shocked that they could sign him for what they see as a bargain.”
While Barcelona are happy with Rashford's performance, there have been warning signs.
After an impressive brace against Newcastle in the Champions League, Rashford was dropped for the following league game after he was late to a team meeting.
It is not the first time that Rashford has faced disciplinary action.
He was dropped by Erik ten Hag at Manchester United for missing a team meeting after he overslept and then dropped again by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Given that the disciplinary problems have persisted, it is perhaps unsurprising that Barcelona have lined up an alternative for next summer.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalans are also monitoring Dinamo Zagreb's Cardoso Varela.
However, their pursuit of the young Portuguese forward will depend on whether Rashford has a long-term future at the club.
Barcelona are also likely to face competition for Varela, with Chelsea also interested in the 16-year-old.
It is possible that Varela chooses to continue his development in Croatia, with his contract at Zagreb running until June 2028.
If Rashford continues to perform at a high level in Barcelona, a permanent move feels inevitable.
The Englishman has already made it clear that he would love to remain in Spain, and while Ruben Amorim still in charge at Manchester United, a return to his boyhood club seems unlikely.
Rashford has also returned to the England setup, playing the second half in Thursday's 3-0 friendly win over Wales.
If he maintains his scoring form for Barcelona, he is likely to secure a place in Thomas Tuchel's squad for next summer's World Cup.
Topics: Marcus Rashford, Transfer News, Football, Chelsea, England, FC Barcelona
James Taylor