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Barcelona are reportedly on the verge of completing a loan deal with option to buy for Marcus Rashford.

The out-of-favour Manchester United ace has publicly expressed a desire to join the Catalans and there are a number of reasons why his signing makes sense.

Firstly, it’s seems that no matter what Joan Laporta or Deco said in public, the club were never close to landing Nico Williams.

Luis Diaz was also out of the picture thanks to Liverpool’s valuation and the fact that they’d stated he wasn’t for sale.

Rashford, 27, has the biggest of points to prove in what is, don’t forget, a World Cup year.

A proven England international that had lost his way it’s fair to say, he now has the chance to resurrect his career at the most opportune of moments.

He has elite level experience and has caused Barcelona problems in the past for United.

From a financial perspective, this is a deal that the club can afford, and it’s seemingly only because his presence won’t be entertained by Ruben Amorim that Rashford’s being offered to whomever wishes to enter negotiations.

He isn’t a bad player. As with many footballers, he hit a rough patch and, unfortunately for him, that coincided with two of the worst seasons in Manchester United’s history.

As we all know, footballers thrive on confidence, and he wasn’t alone in allowing his level to drop firstly under Erik ten Hag and then Amorim.

Hansi Flick won’t suffer fools gladly, and if he’s willing to have the player form part of his squad, that should be good enough for everyone else. The way players such as Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Eric Garcia have thrived under Flick also bodes well for Rashford.

The winger has been working hard all summer to stay fit and healthy, and his physique is now as good as it’s ever been.

A stated aim of playing alongside the likes of Lamine Yamal is sure to elevate his own game too, hopefully back to the level of a few seasons ago.

Of course there will always be those culers who will moan, and it’ll be no different should Rashford sign on.

I’d politely suggest that he’s given time to settle and then afforded the opportunity to explode out of the blocks when he’s fully match fit.

Ultimately, if it doesn’t work out for whatever reason, the club can send him back from whence he came in 12 months.A win win all round.

Amid the rapid movements of Europe’s top clubs in the summer transfer market, Barcelona appears to be preparing an unexpected deal that could reshape the competition for the new season and directly impact the plans of one of Real Madrid’s most prominent stars.

The potential deal is not merely about a strong attacking addition; it may also carry deeper implications for the ongoing “psychological war” between the two Spanish giants—especially since the player linked to the transfer has a close personal relationship with one of the game’s legends.

The name of Portuguese star Rafael Leão, AC Milan winger and friend of Cristiano Ronaldo, has emerged strongly within Barcelona’s ranks as a strategic option to strengthen the left side of the attack. Coach Hansi Flick is seeking to refresh the squad with players who combine skill, speed, and decisiveness.

According to Spanish press reports, AC Milan has set an initial price tag of €70 million for Leão, who has hinted at his desire to experience a new challenge outside the Italian league this summer.

This development follows the breakdown in negotiations to sign Spanish star Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao, who chose to extend his contract with his current club—prompting Barcelona’s management to reassess its attacking options.

Rafael Leão, whose contract with Milan runs until the summer of 2028, had a strong 2024–25 season, appearing in 34 matches, scoring 8 goals, and providing 8 assists—making him one of the most balanced players in terms of finishing and teamwork.

Some sources have suggested that the signing of Leão could also be interpreted as an indirect message to Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé, amid the ongoing competition between the two clubs for world-class players and emerging attacking talents.

If completed, the deal would represent one of Barcelona’s most notable moves this summer—combining high technical value with symbolic significance, given the player’s connection to a star like Cristiano Ronaldo, which lends the transfer both psychological and tactical weight.