Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has scored six goals and provided nine assists on loan at Barcelona, but the club’s financial difficulties could prevent him from making a permanent move.
Marcus Rashford’s hopes of securing a permanent move to Barcelona could be dashed by the club’s ongoing financial problems. The Manchester United forward is currently at the Catalan giants on a season-long loan deal, having been frozen out by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
So far this season, the 28-year-old has six goals and nine assists in 17 games. Barcelona have the option to make the move permanent next summer for a fee of around £30 million, so it looks like a no-brainer if his current form continues.
However, La Liga commentator Terry Gibson warned that the club’s financial difficulties could spoil any deal. Other top players in his position, such as Rafinha and Lamine Yamal, are also likely to play a role in his future.
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“I think he’s benefited from the fact that Rafinha was injured, Yamal was injured, (Robert) Lewandowski was injured, Ferran Torres was injured,” Gibson said.
“So out of these four or five players, he is the only one who has been fit for every game this season. And he is benefiting from that. He has been able to play, he has been able to get up to speed, he has gained confidence. He looks like a Barcelona player now.”
“So I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t sign him. You can’t just rely on three guys. I think it would be a boost for him to have those three as his first choice. I think that makes sense.”
“Lewandowski is up front, Yamal and Rafinha. I think it’s obvious that they will be the front three, given what they did last season. But it’s not guaranteed that all three will be available.”
“That doesn’t work because they play 60 games a season. And I think it’s pretty certain that Barcelona will pay the fee to make it permanent.”
Nevertheless, the former United and Spurs midfielder admitted that it could be difficult for Barcelona to secure the necessary funds to sign Rashford permanently. He said: “Well, finding £30 million for Barcelona is not as easy as usual.
“But now we’re back in a new stadium, and ticket prices are a lot of money at the moment, $45,000 for the weekend, but prices are going to keep going up. Then Barcelona will eventually get back to the financial footing they’re used to. And they’ll have very lofty goals to bring back superstars to Barcelona.”
Last month, it was reported that Barça had a worrying transfer debt of around £138m following the publication of their financial report for the 2024/25 season, raising concerns about the club’s long-term viability.
The figures also suggest that the Catalan giants need to settle £121m of that amount before the end of the campaign in order to remain financially stable. Such financial uncertainty could be a significant warning sign for Rashford in the long term, especially as the outlook at United looks increasingly bleak.
He is also likely to raise concerns about dissatisfaction among the club’s supporters, particularly regarding ticket prices at Camp Nou, which is currently undergoing major renovations but recently reopened with a reduced capacity of around 45,000.
To put this in perspective, the cheapest ticket on the club’s website for the game against Alaves on Saturday 29th November is £95.51 (€109), while the cheapest ticket for the game against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday 2nd December is £148 (€169).
Despite this, Rashford appeared to have impressed during his recent stay in Spain. In September he said: “Playing for Barça is a great experience. I’ve always been a big Barcelona fan.
“I want to win as much as possible. I’m 100 percent excited. I’m very motivated and determined. I’m excited about the quality of the team. It’s very refreshing to play with these players.”
