Is the Rashford route for Barça activated? The movement of the English striker that agitates the signing market

Will FC Barcelona try to sign a left winger for next season? For the moment, there is no clear answer, but the truth is that the Azulgrana team, waiting to resolve its situation with financial 'fair play' and be able to sign normally in the next summer market, continues to evaluate options that can reinforce different areas of the field.

One of the names that reappears is that of Marcus Rashford, 27-year-old English striker, who already sounded strongly to reinforce Barcelona during the past winter market. His situation at Manchester United, where he had few minutes, seemed conducive to an immediate departure.

In turn, the 'Red Devils' were willing to give him up, which made the operation viable from a sporting and contractual level. However, the Catalan team could not finalize his arrival due to the limitations it had to register players in January.

Great performance in his loan to Aston Villa

Given the lack of minutes at Old Trafford, Rashford ended up being loaned to Aston Villa, where he has regained prominence. Under the direction of Unai Emery, he has shown that he still has a lot of football to offer: he has four goals and six assists in 17 games, an amount that has served to revalue himself for the summer market.

Likewise, his performance has once again caught the attention of several clubs, including Barcelona, which is closely following his evolution.

Change of agent and approach to Barça

In the midst of this situation, Rashford has starred in a key move that could lead to his possible arrival at the team of the Ciudad Condal: Marcus has decided to put Pini Zahavi, a renowned Israeli agent with an excellent relationship with the Catalan team, in charge of the intermediations in this type of negotiations. He also represents stellar names such as Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski.

This change of representation can be an important step for Rashford, whose desire - according to speculation - would be to join FC Barcelona. Likewise, sources close to the player assure that conversations with the Catalan club regarding this summer are already in an initial phase, still very 'green'.

Economic obstacles that complicate the operation

However, his arrival at Barcelona will not be easy. Rashford has a contract with Manchester United until 2028 and, although he is not in the plans of the new coach Rúben Amorim, the Mancunian team could try to obtain a significant sum for his transfer. His market value, according to Transfermarkt, is around 50 million euros.

Added to this is his high salary (approximately €18.3 million gross per season), a key aspect of the operation. There has been talk of his willingness to lower his salary, but it would have to be seen if his economic demands coincide with the options of Barça.

The loan, the most viable route

Currently, the most viable formula seems to be a loan, but it remains to be seen if Manchester United would be willing to repeat that route. The Catalan team values his versatility - he can play on both wings and as a centre forward - which makes him an attractive option for the sports management of the club. Will the Azulgrana club bet on his signing? We will have to wait and see how the summer market develops.