Barcelona are closing in on signing Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan ahead of Liverpool, in a deal that could have major implications for Marcus Rashford's hopes of staying at the Catalan club
Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring a goal on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United
Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring a goal on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United(Image: Simon Dael/REX/Shutterstock)
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Former Aston Villa loan star Marcus Rashford faces an uncertain future at Barcelona with the Spanish giants lining up a move for Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan, beating Liverpool to his signature.
The transfer could impact Rashford's prospects at the Catalan club. The Spanish giants and Bastoni's camp are reportedly aligned in their objectives, with an agreement believed to be just a 'matter of time' away.
The 28 year old striker joined Barca on a season-long loan from United last summer after impressing with a stint at Villa and has made a strong impression with his displays.
It's understood that Barca's homecoming to Camp Nou will help the club satisfy La Liga's Financial Fair Play regulations, though offloading a high earner may still be necessary to secure their main targets of Bastoni and a new striker, specifically Julian Alvarez.
This is where Rashford's position at the club has become uncertain. Previous reports indicated that the forward's wages have presented obstacles, despite the loan star's willingness to reduce his salary by nearly 50 per cent, which has hindered negotiations.
Barca are keen to retain experienced players to guide their younger squad members, which had initially worked in Rashford's favour. An effort to keep 37 year old veteran striker Robert Lewandowski at the club on reduced terms appeared to throw Rashford's future into even greater doubt.
Nevertheless, Lewandowski is now being touted as the potential piece in the puzzle for Bastoni and Alvarez, according to Italian reports, with AC Milan and Juventus mentioned as possible destinations for the Polish forward. The report suggests that while Barca are compliant with financial regulations, they'll still require the departure of a high-earner to balance their finances, with Lewandowski potentially filling that role, reports the Mirror.
This could work in the England international's favour as he pursues his dream move. Barca are eager to maintain experienced figures in the squad, and with Rashford now 28 and nearing 500 senior club appearances, he's well-placed to fulfil that requirement.
Rashford found the back of the net for Barcelona against local rivals Espanyol on Saturday. The forward sealed the victory after a Ferran Torres double and a Lamine Yamal goal had already secured the result.
Rashford's contract at Old Trafford runs until 2028, and his end-of-season form could yet determine whether Barcelona choose to keep the forward, with Hansi Flick understood to be a keen admirer.
The club have reportedly already held talks regarding players with a similar profile to Rashford, including Benfica's Andreas Schjelderup, Osasuna's Victor Munoz, and Mallorca's Jan Virgili.
Flick was pleased to see Rashford score against Espanyol, despite opting to use him as a substitute even with Raphinha unavailable through injury. The German manager also offered praise for Torres, who has faced criticism throughout the campaign.
"I'm happy for Ferran and also for Lamine's and Rashford's goals," he said. "The most important thing is to protect the players.
"We'll be criticised, but we have to manage it. It's not easy, and sometimes it's unfair, but it's part of our job. It's part of my responsibility. Ferran is in good form, and that's a good thing."
When questioned about Rashford last week, Flick indicated the player had integrated smoothly at Barcelona prior to their encounter with Atletico. "It's not just about pressing with the ball; in the end, you also have to defend," he said. "But he's doing things well and has adapted. We're going to play against Atletico, and they are good down the wings."