At least three Barcelona players told the club not to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United before his loan move to Aston Villa, it has been claimed – but he was not the only potential signing involved.
Marcus Rashford completed a loan move to Aston Villa on Sunday, joining the Midlands club until the end of the season after being sidelined by Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim for nearly two months. The 27-year-old forward could potentially make the move permanent in the summer, with Villa holding the option to buy him for a reported £40 million.
Before the loan move, Rashford had been linked with various top clubs, including Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan, though none of these transfers came to fruition. Barcelona, in particular, faced complications due to their ongoing financial struggles, which have already made it difficult for them to register existing players like Dani Olmo.
Adding Rashford to their squad would have been challenging for Barca due to La Liga’s salary cap restrictions, which would have forced the club to offload one of their current players. According to reports from SPORT, some Barcelona players voiced concerns about the potential signing, knowing that it would likely require the club to make difficult decisions regarding their existing squad members.
Three Barcelona players reportedly advised the club against signing Marcus Rashford from Manchester United before his loan move to Aston Villa. Rashford, who had been exiled from United’s starting lineup for nearly two months by manager Ruben Amorim, signed for Villa on Sunday with the possibility of a permanent transfer for £40 million at the end of the season.
Rashford had been linked with several clubs during the winter transfer window, including Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan. However, none of these moves materialized. Barcelona’s financial issues, particularly their struggles with La Liga’s salary cap restrictions, made signing Rashford a complex deal. The club has already faced difficulties registering players like Dani Olmo, and adding a new player would have meant offloading an existing squad member.
According to SPORT, Barcelona players such as Pedri, Gavi, and Ronald Araujo, all of whom have recently extended their contracts, raised concerns about the signing of Rashford. The report suggests that their concerns were not limited to Rashford specifically, but also about any potential signings that could affect the balance of the squad.
Rashford’s decision to move to Villa instead of Barcelona could see him face the Spanish giants in the Champions League later this season, as both teams have qualified for the round of 16.
