Marcus Rashford is currently on loan at Barcelona and the England international has opened up on his future amid concerns over his playing rights in Spain
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford in action for Barcelona(Image: Getty Images)
Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United, has kept his cards close to his chest regarding a permanent move to the Catalan giants.
The forward, who found himself out of favour under Ruben Amorim, has been loaned to Barcelona for the upcoming season with an option for the La Liga champions to sign him for £30million.
This buyout clause is notably lower than Rashford's valuation just a few seasons ago before his form dipped at Old Trafford. Yet, there are lingering concerns over Barcelona's financial situation and whether Rashford will be registered in time for the new season due to La Liga's stringent financial fair play regulations.
Barcelona has previously encountered registration issues, as seen last season with players like Dani Olmo and Pau Victor. Olmo, a Spanish international, even missed games while the club worked to address salary cap complications.
When questioned by the Catalan newspaper Sport about any potential registration issues, Rashford appeared unconcerned, stating: "I'm not worried. It's something the club needs to resolve, and I trust they will. I'm focused on training and being ready for the start of the competition."
Rashford has expressed his thoughts on a permanent departure from United, stating that he wants to "enjoy the moment" rather than look too far into the future.
The 27-year-old made his debut for Barcelona in a 3-1 friendly victory over Japanese side Vissel Kobe at the end of July. However, his first appearance seemed to go wrong when the England international was substituted off just 30 minutes after coming on as a substitute.
The incident was portrayed as somewhat embarrassing for Rashford, who spent the latter half of last season on loan at Aston Villa. However, new manager Hansi Flick quickly dismissed any suggestions of humiliation, explaining that the decision was purely about managing the player's fitness.
"We're being very careful with Marcus because he just came from an injury and he hasn't started training completely with the ball," Flick said following the match. "He's a week behind the others. He hasn't been training as much with the ball, and we want to look after him."
Rashford had a successful loan spell under Unai Emery at Villa, helping the team reach the later stages of the Champions League. He is expected to return to Europe's top tier this upcoming season, although the same cannot be said for his parent club United, who failed to qualify for any European competition.
It's clear that Rashford is prioritising the needs of his new team over personal ambitions.
He believes his versatility on the pitch will serve him well. "I can play in different positions and score goals from any of them," he said. "It's about creating chances from different areas and taking advantage of them."
Such a mindset could well persuade Barcelona to make his arrangement permanent. Nevertheless, the United academy product faces a considerable journey ahead to demonstrate he merits the financial commitment.
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