Before his loan move to Aston Villa, Marcus Rashford was reportedly on Barcelona’s radar, alongside other clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. However, a potential move to the La Liga giants failed to materialize due to concerns raised within Barcelona’s squad.
Rashford’s situation at Manchester United had become increasingly uncertain under manager Ruben Amorim, leading to his mid-season switch to Villa, where he has the option of a permanent move for around £40 million at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. However, prior to this move, Barcelona had shown interest, though their financial struggles made any potential deal complicated.
Barcelona’s ongoing financial difficulties, including challenges with their salary cap and registering players like Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, made the prospect of adding Rashford a difficult one. Moreover, according to SPORT, several Barcelona players voiced concerns over the potential signing, fearing that acquiring Rashford at a high wage would necessitate offloading some of their current squad members. These concerns were not limited to Rashford but applied to all the players Barcelona was targeting during the late stages of the 2024/25 mid-season window.
Ultimately, due to these financial and internal concerns, Barcelona shifted focus elsewhere, allowing Rashford to join Villa instead, where he will hope to rediscover his form and potentially secure a permanent move.
According to the report, a trio of Barcelona players—Pedri, Gavi, and Ronald Araujo—expressed concerns over the potential signing of Marcus Rashford, with other unnamed players also reportedly opposed to the move. This internal opposition, combined with Barcelona’s financial struggles, ultimately led to the club deciding against pursuing Rashford during the 2024/25 mid-season window.
Meanwhile, Rashford, now with Aston Villa on loan, has yet to make his debut for the Midlands club. Villa is targeting a spot in next season’s Champions League, which could set up an intriguing encounter between Rashford and his former suitors, Barcelona, in Europe’s elite competition during the upcoming season.
