An athlete in a red jersey with the number 11, standing on a field, possibly a football match, with a crowd in the background.
Marcus Rashford's future remains up in the air. (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United's prospects of a lucrative windfall from the sale of Marcus Rashford have received a boost, with one alternative to the English forward yet to impress Barcelona. Rashford is keen on a permanent move to the Catalan club, yet they are drawing up contingency plans should they decide not to activate the £26million clause in his loan agreement.
Rashford's long-term future is set to be decided shortly, with a permanent exit from Manchester United appearing increasingly likely. The 28-year-old has spent this season on loan at Barcelona, who hold an option to make the switch permanent for £26m.
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However, despite recent reports suggesting Barcelona will only reach a final verdict at the close of the season, sporting director Deco is already working behind the scenes to prepare for the year ahead. According to Spanish outlet Sport, bolstering the forward line is a top priority and he has alternative targets they could pursue instead of Rashford.
Alongside Rashford, the club are also considering younger attacking prospects, including Benfica's Andreas Schjelderup and Osasuna's Victor Munoz, while Jan Virgili is regarded as a player who could be recalled from Mallorca.
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Virgili, who previously spent time in Barcelona's youth academy and their 'B' side, was sold by the club for £3.4m last year, with Barca retaining 40 per cent of a future sale and a buy-back clause.
He could now be brought back for a reported £10m, a considerably smaller fee than what the Spanish giants would need to pay for Rashford.
Nevertheless, the same report highlights that Barcelona regard Virgili as a 'rough diamond', who appears to be considerably behind in the race against Rashford, with club officials 'not convinced by him' at this point in his career.
It is further suggested that the youngster's defensive abilities have been called into question, and while Rashford is said not to 'stand out' in the same department, his aerial prowess is considered valuable to Hansi Flick.
Marcus Rashford on the Barcelona bench.
Marcus Rashford on the Barcelona bench. (Image: Getty Images)
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The England international is also a player who will ultimately need to replace Raphinha at times, and possessing those attributes is of considerable importance. That Barcelona officials remain sceptical of Virgili is encouraging news for Rashford and United, with the English forward having one fewer rival to worry about for a starting role next season.
United are keen to cash in while Rashford has already made it clear that he would love to make his move permanent. Barcelona are yet to fully commit to paying the £26m and have explored avenues to reduce the fee, however, the Reds are standing firm and refusing to negotiate.
What lies ahead for Rashford remains unclear at this stage. The rationale for offering him another opportunity, particularly if Michael Carrick is appointed on a permanent basis, has been called into question.
However, a comeback to Old Trafford appears highly unlikely at this point. Rashford himself has already made his wishes abundantly clear.
"Of course, what I want is to stay at Barca," he previously told Sport. "It's an end goal, but it's not the reason why I'm training hard and giving it my best. The purpose is to win. Barca is a huge, fantastic club, built to win titles."
Rashford has scored 10 goals and registered 13 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions for the Spanish champions.