Barcelona are prepared to terminate the contract of a forgotten player in order to register Marcus Rashford in Spain.
Marcus Rashford has officially joined Barcelona on a season-long loan from Manchester United, with the Spanish giants holding an option to make the move permanent next summer for approximately £26 million.
The 27-year-old England forward made his first appearance for the club in a pre-season friendly against Vissel Kobe, coming on at half-time and playing 33 minutes, during which he recorded a shot on target.
Despite his debut, Rashford’s official competitive bow may be delayed due to Barcelona’s ongoing financial issues. The club reportedly exceeded La Liga’s salary cap last season by spending more on wages and transfers than they generated in revenue.
According to BBC Sport’s Simon Stone, Rashford’s representatives are still optimistic that the situation will be resolved, although Barcelona have yet to clear space on their wage bill to officially register him for competitive fixtures.
Barcelona are set to generate approximately £100 million through the sale of VIP seating at the newly renovated Nou Camp stadium.
While Ansu Fati and Clément Lenglet have already departed, further player exits are reportedly needed to help balance the books.
One such exit could be Oriol Romeu, formerly of Chelsea and Southampton. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have told the 33-year-old midfielder he is no longer part of their plans, and discussions are now underway to mutually terminate the final year of his contract.
Romeu spent last season on loan at Girona, but the club chose not to trigger the option to buy included in the deal.
Marcus Rashford is expected to feature in Barcelona’s remaining pre-season matches, including upcoming friendlies against FC Seoul and Daegu FC as part of their tour of Japan and South Korea. These games will help him build chemistry with his new teammates.
He may also play in the Joan Gamper Trophy, Barcelona’s traditional curtain-raiser, where they’ll face Italian side Como, currently managed by Cesc Fabregas.
However, Rashford cannot play in official competitions until he is registered, and Barcelona must first resolve their salary cap issues to make that happen.
Barcelona’s La Liga campaign starts on 16 August against Mallorca, with their first home match on 14 September against Valencia, due to ongoing Nou Camp renovations. If the registration is sorted in time, Rashford could make his competitive debut anytime after the season begins.
