Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford remains a primary target for Barcelona, and are happy playing a waiting game as they attempt to negotiate a deal that suits them, TEAMtalk understands.
The Spanish giants remain very keen on retaining the services of the talented attacker, who spent this season on loan at the Camp Nou.
England international Rashford quickly became a popular figure at Barcelona, and notched an impressive 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 games across all competitions.
Barcelona decided against triggering their £26million option to sign Rashford permanently, but sources insist they remain determined to win the race for his signature – despite appearing, on the surface at least, to have cooled their interest.
Indeed, in a fresh development, sources have indicated that the Catalans are prepared to wait until late into the window before finalising any potential deal.
Crucially, we understand Rashford remains extremely keen to join Barcelona next season, and that buy-in from the player gives the Spanish giants hope that their long-game will ultimately pay off.
At the same time, they are well aware that United remain determined to sell the player in order to generate not just some much-needed transfer funds at Old Trafford, but also to align their wage bill and help reshape their squad for the upcoming campaign.
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Barcelona waiting for Rashford deal as Spurs, Villa show interest
A key sticking point in the talks is the valuation placed on the 28-year-old.
While Man Utd are placing a £40million price tag for Rashford to be sold, Barcelona believe that price point is too high and are understood to view a figure of around £25-30million as more reflective of his value.
Key to that all: Barcelona would prefer United to accept an offer in that region in exchange for an obligation to make the move permanent next summer in 2027 and following another year’s loan – as had always been their plan.
Either way, in an effort to fund their window and play the system to their benefit, Barcelona are planning to offload several players from their current squad.
These sales are expected to provide the financial backing required to complete a deal for Rashford without any major issues arising from their spending limits.
Interest in Rashford is not limited to Barcelona alone, however.
Tottenham Hotspur have maintained their interest in the player and could yet enter the race more seriously.
Aston Villa have also taken a look at the possibility of signing him, after his loan stint at the club in 2024/25, but like Barcelona, Villa and Spurs appear reluctant to commit to the £40million figure or accommodate his high wage demands.
Furthermore, if the window drags on without a resolution for Rashford, it seems increasingly probable that Man Utd will be forced to sanction another loan move for Rashford.
This is definitely a card that Barcelona are hoping will come into play, as TEAMtalk exclusively revealed back in December.
That said, any loan arrangement would almost certainly come with an obligation to buy attached, as this could be essential for Man Utd to agree to another loan switch.
Overall, Rashford’s future remains uncertain as the transfer window continues.
Barcelona’s willingness to wait could prove advantageous for them if they manage to secure the necessary funds through their planned sales and narrow the gap in negotiations with Man Utd. But ideally, they hope another loan deal is on the cards.
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