Barcelona is in a race against the clock to secure the signature of Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, with Ligue 1 side Monaco also vying for his services. Rashford, 27, has fallen out of favor at Old Trafford under manager Ruben Amorim, who has excluded him from the last nine matches, with the England international having made just one appearance on the bench during this period.
Reports indicate that Barcelona is prioritizing Rashford as their key target this transfer window, with the player reportedly open to the idea of moving to the Catalan giants. However, Barcelona faces significant financial challenges, needing to clear space in their wage bill to accommodate Rashford’s £325,000 weekly salary. The cash-strapped club, burdened with debts of over £850 million, may need to offload some players, including defender Eric Garcia and winger Ansu Fati, to balance the books.
Meanwhile, Monaco, with deep financial resources, is also keen on signing Rashford and is prepared to cover much, if not all, of his salary. This has put the French club in direct competition with Barcelona, with Rashford’s agent, Dwaine Maynard, reportedly leaning towards a move to Spain. The decision now hinges on Barcelona’s ability to make the necessary moves before the transfer window closes.
Rashford has expressed his desire to play against Rangers on Thursday night, as he continues to train hard despite his sidelining. His exclusion from the team has sparked tensions, with Amorim stating that Rashford’s absence is a personal choice and not an issue of team selection. Rashford’s last appearance for Manchester United came against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on December 12, further fueling speculation about his future.
As the transfer window draws to a close, both Barcelona and Monaco are under pressure to finalize the deal for one of Europe’s top forwards.
