Man Utd outcast Marcus Rashford told the key flaw he must overcome by Spanish media in order to earn permanent £30m Barcelona transfer

The proposed agreement for Rashford includes an initial £25m ($33m) fee and a further £5m in add-ons. With Barcelona experiencing much-publicised financial struggles, they need to be truly convinced before parting with such funds. The 27-year-old’s salary at Old Trafford, which comes in at around £325,000-a-week, would also be difficult for the Blaugrana to absorb - meaning that a compromise needs to be reached there.

Rashford has made a bright start to his spell in Spanish football, with three goals and five assists being recorded through 10 appearances. He netted a stunning brace for the Blaugrana when returning to English soil for a Champions League clash with Newcastle United.

He has, however, been informed that his “biggest career nemesis” must be overcome in order to remain alongside Lamine Yamal and Co. Consistency has been an issue for Rashford since 2021 - with one 30-goal season being sandwiched by three campaigns in which he has failed to reach double figures.

Estadio Deportivo has pointed out what needs to be done in order for a transfer in 2026 to become “inevitable”. They report that: “At Barca, Rashford has found the perfect environment to relaunch his career. His immediate impact, his commitment, and his connection with [Hansi] Flick have made him one of the biggest draws of the season. If he maintains this level of form, paying the 30 million euros could cease to be an option and become an inevitable decision.”

It is being suggested that Rashford finds himself in the “last chance saloon”, with Aston Villa opting against taking him on a permanent basis over the summer following a productive loan spell in the West Midlands.

The Sun, however, claims that bosses in Barcelona have been impressed by what Rashford has to offer. They were concerned at first as to why United were prepared to part with such a player, but now believe that they could have a bargain on their hands.

A source has told The Sun: “Barcelona had an issue with signing Marcus initially, which was the club’s financial situation. But they also thought United were playing a game because they were willing to let him go. They thought it was too good to be true — there must be something wrong with him. His brother Dwaine persuaded them there was nothing wrong — and that he wasn’t going to mess them about. Barca are now really shocked that they could sign him for what they see as a bargain.”

Barca’s sporting director Deco has been quick to point out that it is still far too early to discuss long-term plans for Rashford. He has said: “It's too early to talk about decisions for next season but what matters is that we're happy with him.”

A source inside Camp Nou added: “We're all delighted and thrilled with him and his performance, Deco, Flick, and his team-mates. Marcus is also happy with us, with his team-mates and with the city of Barcelona. It's obvious that if he continues to develop like this, there's a very good chance that this will be the case [a permanent deal]. But we're only at the beginning of the season and it's still too early to talk about this.”

Rashford’s contract in Manchester is due to run until 2028, but there appears to be little future for him there. He fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim and was ushered through the exits. Another managerial change at Old Trafford has been mooted, which would deliver clean slates, but the Red Devils appear to have moved on from another home-grown graduate of their fabled academy system.