Marcus Rashford’s road to recovery recently saw him called up for England, but the Aston Villa forward’s ideal final destination may not be possible
Marcus Rashford’s aspiration to play for Barcelona could be in jeopardy as the Spanish giants are reportedly interested in Atalanta’s £25million-rated Ademola Lookman.
Currently on a season-long loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United, Rashford’s future beyond his stint at Villa Park remains unclear. Unai Emery’s team are expected to explore a permanent deal for the 27-year-old United academy product at the end of the season, with reports claiming United manager Ruben Amorim has decided that Rashford does not fit into his plans at Old Trafford.
Despite not finding the back of the net, Rashford has made a significant impact at Villa, providing four assists in nine games, including setting up both goals in Villa’s crucial 2-1 home win over Chelsea. While Rashford is flourishing in the Midlands, it’s been reported that his ultimate dream is to play for Barcelona.
However, this dream move may be under threat. Mundo Deportivo reports that Lookman, who netted a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final, is on Barcelona’s radar. While Hansi Flick’s team have been linked with Spanish Euro 2024 star Nico Williams and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, Lookman is reportedly being viewed as a more affordable option.
The former Everton and Fulham striker’s deal with Atalanta is set to expire at the end of next season. According to reports, Barcelona may be able to sign him for just £25m (€30m). This may spell trouble for Rashford, who could have a hefty £60m price tag on his head when the season wraps up.
According to the Daily Star, United are keen to offload the England star and hope Rashford finishes the season strongly so they can raise his price tag. With the United hierarchy’s stance on their homegrown talent now crystal clear, potential buyers may try to haggle.
Rashford found himself out in the cold under Amorim, who stood firm on not playing him. The Portuguese boss recently said: “What I say is I couldn’t get Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it. Sometimes you have one player who is really good with one coach and the same player with another coach is different.”
If United do opt to put Rashford on the market, they’ll be going against the grain of club icons Ryan Giggs, Bryan Robson, and Nicky Butt, all of whom are eager to see him make a comeback at Old Trafford. Giggs, Van Gaal’s right-hand man when Rashford first burst onto the scene at Old Trafford, recently told the Manchester Evening News: “It’s great to see him doing well at Villa.
“I don’t know whether he’ll come back. I’m not too sure. Obviously, you’d like that because we just talked about young players coming through, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”
Butt also drew parallels between Rashford’s current situation and his own experience when he was loaned from Newcastle United to Birmingham City. The former midfielder said: “I went on loan to Birmingham from Newcastle, I never thought for one minute I’d go back. I ended up going back and was five years there and captain for three years. You never know what’s going to happen with football. I’d like to see him back in a Man United shirt, but who knows.”
While Giggs and Butt focused on Rashford’s potential return, Robson threw down the gauntlet to Amorim to showcase his managerial prowess by unlocking Rashford’s full potential. Speaking to Express Sport, Robson said: “[Whether he comes back] is the manager’s and Marcus’s decision. But for me, he’s got the talent, and you’ve got to get the best out of him. And Marcus has got to get the best out of himself, and he should be a Man United player next year.”
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