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The dream destination for Marcus Rashford after his exit from Manchester United appears to be Barcelona after he declared an interest in playing alongside Lamine Yamal.
An interview with Spanish YouTuber Javi Ruiz revealed something of the 27-year-old’s thoughts on his future. Asked if he would like to be teammates with Lamine Yamal, Rashford said: “Yes, for sure. Everyone wants to play with the best. Hopefully … we’ll see.” Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, told Catalan radio station RAC1 in May that the club like Rashford.
Rashford, whose own breakthrough at United came as an 18-year-old, with four goals in two games against Denmark’s FC Midtjylland and Arsenal in February 2016, said: “It’s difficult to put into words what [Lamine Yamal] is doing because he’s not supposed to be doing that at 16 or 17. I don’t think we’ve seen that before.”
United are hoping to sell Rashford, frozen out by Ruben Amorim and loaned to Aston Villa in January, to fund further summer transfer business beyond the £62.5m signing of Matheus Cunha. Alejandro Garnacho is another who may be sold. For Rashford, contracted until 2027, having stated his time at United is at its end, the asking price is understood to be £40m.
Despite a productive spell at Villa, including a throwback performance in the club’s Champions League near-miss against the eventual champions, Paris Saint-Germain, he is unlikely to return to Unai Emery’s club, who have profit and sustainability (PSR) concerns after missing out on a return to the Champions League. “Spain is nice, and it’s not too far from home,” Rashford said.
Barcelona have made a wide forward a priority, with Liverpool’s Luis Díaz also linked. “As wingers we only have Lamine and Raphinha, because Ferran [Torres] is becoming more and more a striker,” Deco said. The No 1 target is the Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, 22, for whom a buyout clause is set at €58m (£49.7m), and Barça are willing to pay it.
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That would unite Spain’s star wingers from their Euro 2024 triumph in the Catalan capital, a move that broke down last year when Williams decided to stay in the Basque Country. Personal terms are reported to be agreed, but Barça’s own, precarious PSR position may delay that deal until July. Deco said: “The fact that Nico and Lamine are friends is good. But this is not a club of friends. We come here to work and try to win. Then, if they get along well, all the better.”
