Man United's Marcus Rashford has spent the season at Barcelona but it remains to be seen whether he will make his loan move permanent.
Marcus Rashford and Frenkie de Jong celebrate during a Barcelona Champions League win
Marcus Rashford and Frenkie de Jong celebrate during a Barcelona Champions League win(Image: Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
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Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has insisted Marcus Rashford should stay at the club amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding his Manchester United future.
Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa before securing another temporary move in the summer, this time to La Liga giants Barcelona. Having settled in Catalonia, Rashford impressed before hitting a rocky patch over Christmas.
The 28-year-old rediscovered his form in the latter stages of the season, scoring four goals in seven La Liga matches, including a vital strike in the 2-0 win over Real Madrid that sealed the title, and has now scored 14 goals and notched 14 assists during his time in Spain.
A £26m option to buy was included in the loan move but Barca have not yet agreed to pay the fee, with reports suggesting they would prefer another loan next season. United are keen to sell Rashford and there should be plenty of interest after a successful season in Spain.
In an interview with Diario Sport, De Jong has said he would be delighted if Rashford moved to Barca permanently.
"Yes, I believe so [he should stay]," the midfielder said. "In the minutes he's played, he has given us a lot: goals, assists, depth. He is a fast player who threatens rival defences. I would be delighted if he continued with us."
De Jong himself is no stranger to United fans. The Dutch international was at the centre of a transfer saga during Erik ten Hag's first summer at the club. Eventually, United discovered De Jong was not a feasible option and instead signed Casemiro.
"He arrived here with a lot of enthusiasm," the 29-year-old continued on Rashford. "He was very happy to be here and from the first moment he arrived you could already see that he wanted to stay. He's tried to adapt as best he could and I've seen him do well."
When asked if he wanted to stay at Barcelona recently, Rashford told reporters: "I am not a magician, but if I was, I would stay. We will see. I came here to win. I want to win as many things as I can.
"This [the La Liga title] is one more to add to this. This is a wonderful team, they're going to win so much in the future; to be a part of that would be special."
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