Marcus Rashford has received a boost which could help facilitate his preferred transfer in the January transfer window.
Marcus Rashford has not played for Manchester United since December 12, during a Europa League match against Viktoria Plzen, and has been left out of most of Rúben Amorim’s matchday squads since then.
He was again absent for the 3-1 loss to Brighton on Sunday, with Amorim addressing Rashford’s absence in his post-match press conference.
“Rashford is out because he’s not playing. No matter what, I will not select a player I don’t believe is the best for the team,” Amorim explained. “It’s his choice. I don’t want to focus on this bad moment because Rashford is not here in these games we’ve lost.”
Despite still being fit and training with the team, the 27-year-old forward has been linked with several clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, and AS Monaco.
However, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Rashford reportedly prefers a move to Barcelona if he is allowed to leave his boyhood club.
While Barcelona has faced financial difficulties in recent years, the sale of VIP seating at their newly renovated Nou Camp is said to have provided the funds necessary for a potential transfer.
The sale of 475 VIP seats has allowed Barcelona to comply with La Liga’s 1:1 financial rule, which ensures the club stays within budgetary regulations.
Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, explained the sale by saying, “An investor from Qatar subscribed €30 million (£25.3m, $30.9m), and paid it out, which we credited to La Liga. Another investor from the Emirates (not related to Arsenal’s stadium) contributed €70 million; 40 percent of it had to be paid in advance, but it wasn’t processed until January 3 because the banks were closed on the 31st.”
Laporta emphasized that Barcelona met all the requirements before the end of the year, noting that La Liga’s rules require the funds to be credited, not necessarily completed by the deadline, though some payments were credited late.
Despite this progress, a move for Rashford is not guaranteed, as Barcelona would prefer to offload players before making any signings. Additionally, Rashford’s £325,000-a-week salary presents a financial challenge, which could potentially require Manchester United to cover part of his wages.
Given the complexities surrounding the situation, Rashford may still remain at United beyond the transfer deadline of February 3.
