Marcus Rashford: Why do Barcelona want to sign the Manchester United forward?

Unwanted astatine Manchester United, yet wanted by Barcelona.

Marcus Rashford, an Old Trafford outcast since the extremity of past year, is edging ever person to a imagination determination to the Nou Camp aft a deal successful principle was reached.

It's not a transportation which comes wholly retired of the blue, with Rashford reportedly agelong having his bosom acceptable connected a power to the Spanish giants and saying lone past period helium wanted to play alongside teenage superstar Lamine Yamal.

Barca, too, person not hidden their involvement successful the 27-year-old England forward. In May, sporting manager Deco admitted they "like" Rashford and suggested helium could "improve the team".

But that is the spot that presently has radical talking - could helium really?

BBC Sport tries to explicate however Rashford finds himself connected the brink of joining Barcelona and wherefore they really privation to motion him.

Rashford's departure from Old Trafford has been a comparatively agelong clip coming.

Manager Ruben Amorim dropped him for the Manchester derby connected 15 December past twelvemonth - and helium has not played for United since.

Amorim aboriginal criticised Rashford for a perceived deficiency of effort, suggesting that helium would alternatively springiness a spot connected the seat to his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach than idiosyncratic who "doesn't springiness the maximum each day".

He joined Aston Villa connected indebtedness successful January, making 17 appearances and earning an England recall, but returned to Old Trafford past period with his longer-term aboriginal inactive uncertain.

However, that uncertainty has been much astir wherever helium would spell alternatively than whether helium would stay, with Rashford 1 of five players who told the nine they wanted to leave - and who were subsequently told to bid separately from the remainder of the squad.

"There is nary uncertainty a fully-motivated, focused and determined Marcus Rashford would locomotion into Ruben Amorim's team," said BBC Sport's main shot quality newsman Simon Stone.

"But, successful reality, that Rashford has lone been seen for 1 afloat play since 2021 and the run that led to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer getting sacked.

"There were signs of the aged Rashford during his fractional play indebtedness astatine Villa - but determination were besides games wherever helium didn't execute truthful well.

"Offloading an unwanted subordinate to Barcelona is bizarre for a nine successful Manchester United's position. But that is wherever they are close now. What they person to bash is maximise the opportunity.

"At Old Trafford, they cannot interest astir optics. They person to present a squad Amorim tin thrust up the table."

If United, who finished 15th successful the Premier League past season, don't privation Rashford - wherefore are La Liga champions Barcelona aft him?

Barca haven't precisely struggled for goals implicit the past year, scoring 102 connected their mode to winning the league.

They besides netted 43 arsenic they reached the Champions League semi-finals successful 2024-25, the second-most successful a azygous campaign.

If anything, their shortcomings were astatine the backmost alternatively than up front.

But that hasn't stopped them seeking attacking reinforcements.

"Strengthening the left-hand broadside of the guardant enactment has been Barcelona's precedence each summertime and, for a agelong time, it appeared they'd beryllium palmy successful snapping up their fig 1 target, Nico Williams," said Spanish shot writer Andy West.

"But the Athletic Bilbao winger yet opted to motion a caller declaration with his existent club, truthful Barca were forced to look elsewhere, with an attempted determination for Liverpool's Luis Diaz besides falling through."

While they would person been prepared to wage a interest for some Williams and Diaz, determination is simply a fiscal vantage to signing Rashford - the woody would initially beryllium connected indebtedness with an enactment to buy.

"Barcelona's long-standing fiscal problems are inactive an contented and they were hoping to rise funds by selling goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has been supplanted by caller signing Joan Garcia," added West.

"But that program has been foiled by the German seasoned requiring backmost surgery, which means that signing Rashford connected indebtedness has go adjacent much enticing."

Stone added: "If it is simply a indebtedness with an enactment to bargain arsenic expected, Barca can't lose.

"Don't forget, Chelsea efficaciously loaned Jadon Sancho for a season, past sent him backmost to Manchester United contempt having an work to bargain aft an inconsistent campaign."

Rashford's champion presumption has been wide discussed and debated, having operated some disconnected the left-hand broadside and arsenic a cardinal striker during his career.

But his capableness to play successful some positions is portion of the attraction to Barcelona.

"Barca are conscious that prima striker Robert Lewandowski, who turns 37 adjacent month, cannot beryllium expected to commencement each game," said West. "So Rashford's quality to play arsenic a centre-forward oregon a mendacious 9 further adds to his appeal.

"His main opportunities, however, volition travel connected the near wing, which has been a occupation presumption for Barca ever since Neymar's departure to Paris St-Germain 8 years ago.

"In the existent squad, Raphinha has been re-invented by manager Hansi Flick arsenic a cardinal playmaker, portion Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres are unsuited to the near flank.

"So present Rashford has the accidental to found himself alongside Raphinha, Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal successful Flick's first-choice beforehand four."

So tin helium inactive execute astatine the aforesaid level arsenic Barca's different forwards?

Rashford has scored 138 goals successful 426 appearances since making his United debut arsenic an 18-year-old successful 2016, adding a further 17 successful 62 games for England.

He has immense acquisition astatine the precise apical level - and, astatine 27, inactive has perchance galore of his champion years up of him.

But imaginable is simply a connection often utilized successful tandem with Rashford's sanction and not since 2022-23 has helium reached the 20-goal people successful a season.

Despite impressing astatine times astatine Villa Park, helium inactive lone scored doubly successful the Premier League - 1 of those a penalty.

"Barcelona cognize they are taking a spot of a risk," said Stone. "And it is not wholly wide what their program for Rashford is - it decidedly volition not beryllium taking the spot of Lamine Yamal.

"But they besides know, astatine anyplace adjacent the apical of his game, the 27-year-old, successful mentation approaching the highest years of his career, could beryllium a large plus successful La Liga and the Champions League."