Deco and Hansi Flick’s precedence on this switch window was an attacking participant and in Marcus Rashford, they’ve what they have been after.
Barcelona have signed the 27-year-old on a season-long mortgage deal that can see the Englishman competing for a spot within the highest-scoring entrance line in Europe’s prime 5 leagues. Final season, that entrance three was Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.
Rashford additionally will get his dream transfer. His need to affix Barcelona was so nice that he has agreed to take a pay minimize to the impact of between 15 per cent and 25 per cent, relying on elements together with bonuses. United will not be paying any of his wages and his gross wage at Barcelona shall be about €14million a 12 months (earlier than bonuses).
The deal features a €30m purchase choice on the finish of the season, and opposite to experiences, it doesn’t embrace a €5m penalty price if Barcelona determine to not set off that choice.
(Josep Lago/AFP through Getty Pictures)
From a Manchester United perspective, they’re saving an enormous quantity in wages, with Rashford incomes round £300,000 per week even after a minimize to his wage of 1 / 4 for the membership’s failure to achieve the Champions League (a clause all gamers have of their contracts).
Rashford scored seven objectives in all competitions for United final season, however he didn’t function after a poor show at Viktoria Plzen on December 12, with Ruben Amorim taking a hardline strategy to the participant’s perceived efforts. Even after coming back from his mortgage interval at Aston Villa, Rashford was minimize except for the first-team group. He educated for a few days at Carrington however was knowledgeable he ought to report back to the coaching floor at 5pm, as soon as Amorim and his team-mates had left.
United took the No 10 shirt off Rashford and gave it to new signing Matheus Cunha, a medical illustration of the altering occasions. Clawing again any cash is a bonus for United, given Rashford was solely out of Amorim’s plans.
United’s new No 10, Matheus Cunha, who joined the membership from Wolves this summer time (Ash Donelon/Manchester United through Getty Pictures)
“The scenario with United is, the membership is in a interval of change they usually have been for some time,” stated Rashford throughout his presentation in Barcelona.
“I don’t have something unhealthy to say about Manchester United, it’s been an necessary a part of not solely my profession however my life. I’m grateful for the chance to play for them however soccer is similar as life and never all the pieces goes as merely as you will have thought.
“I simply want all of them one of the best. I hope they’re profitable sooner or later.”
Rashford has additionally agreed to not embrace any written assure on his contract relating to his registration at Barca. The membership have assured the participant they are going to be able to register him inside La Liga’s wage guidelines by the top of the switch window, and Rashford’s camp will belief their phrase. It has been seen on the membership as a optimistic signal of his need to affix the Spanish champions.
Rashford landed in Barcelona on Sunday however the foundations of this signing have been laid six months in the past. It was in January 2025 when the Catalans have been informed by intermediaries that Rashford dreamt of becoming a member of them, and the participant’s camp linked with the Barcelona-based company AC Expertise to assist facilitate a transfer.
There was a gathering in Lisbon on January 21, simply earlier than Barcelona’s Champions League match towards Benfica. Agent Arturo Canales, from AC Expertise, met Barcelona’s sporting director Deco to debate a potential six-month mortgage for Rashford.
At that time, Barca have been already contemplating bringing in a brand new winger. That they had did not signal Nico Williams from Athletic Membership final summer time (for the primary time), and regardless of all of the objectives scored by the gamers in his squad, Flick was eager on bolstering his choices in assault.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick needed one other attacker (Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Pictures)
The German coach authorized Rashford’s signing in January. In addition to appreciating his soccer talent set, he additionally spoke to these near Rashford and have become conscious of his dedication to enjoying in Barca’s system.
Based on folks near the negotiations, who spoke anonymously to guard relationships, Rashford didn’t transfer to Barcelona in January due to the shortage of wage room so as to add him to the squad, mixed with the turmoil Barcelona have been experiencing with Dani Olmo, Pau Victor and their registrations.
It took a call from the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD, a nationwide excessive courtroom) to permit Barca to register each gamers for the second half of the season, which stopped €60m signing Olmo from leaving without cost simply 4 months after he joined the membership.
La Liga had beforehand denied the gamers’ registration as they understood Barcelona had failed to satisfy their monetary necessities by the top of 2024. Their determination was overturned by the CSD ruling, inflicting a stir at La Liga and amongst different golf equipment competing in Spain’s prime division.
Olmo and Victor’s scenario was resolved simply in time, however that saga left Barcelona engaged on a skinny margin with their wage cap — and it elevated tensions with La Liga. In that spectrum, there was no room for Rashford.
9 days after the assembly in Lisbon between Rashford representatives and Barcelona, the participant was posing with an Aston Villa shirt after agreeing a six-month mortgage to the Premier League membership.
Rashford joined Aston Villa on mortgage in January (Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC through Getty Pictures)
This was a transfer that Rashford wanted time to evaluate and conform to. He determined to affix Villa as he understood it could put him in a greater place to realize his dream transfer to Barcelona this summer time.
Villa supplied a Champions League platform to shine, and a well-assembled workforce able to competing towards any opponent. These near Rashford satisfied the participant to make the transfer by arguing that so long as he carried out at Villa, he would have the possibility to affix Barcelona for — a minimum of — one full season from summer time.
The plan labored.
“It was not tough to decide on. I used to be clear on my desire from the very starting, truly from possibly in January, nevertheless it didn’t work out in January so I went to Aston Villa and I loved a very good interval there,” stated Rashford throughout his unveiling on Wednesday.
“The summer time got here round rapidly and once more it was time to make one other determination. My selection was straightforward. One, it’s a household membership, one thing I’m used to from my previous. It appears like dwelling, I really feel like I’ve made the appropriate determination. I’m excited to get going and play the primary sport and play in entrance of the followers. To play for this soccer membership is a particular second for me and I’m able to get going.”
Earlier than this switch window, Barcelona have been totally conscious of the phrases Rashford was on at United, the hassle he was prepared to place in to make the transfer occur and to have an effect on the membership, and the supply they wanted to submit.
Rashford’s camp travelled to Barcelona in Could and met Barcelona officers to debate whether or not a transfer was potential. It was nonetheless early days for the Catalans, who needed to see how the beginning of the summer time unfolded for them.
By the beginning of final week, senior figures at Barcelona realised they needed to make their transfer for Rashford. That they had already missed out on Williams (once more), as a result of 22-year-old’s fears that they won’t be capable of register him.
Luis Diaz was Deco’s most popular choice, however they have been a great distance from assembly Liverpool’s monetary calls for to sanction the deal. A primary enquiry from Barcelona was rebuffed by Liverpool in June.
Barcelona couldn’t afford a transfer for Luis Diaz (Paul Ellis/AFP through Getty Pictures)
At this level, all roads led to Rashford.
As quickly as Barcelona executives contacted Rashford’s camp, it took only some days to achieve an settlement. They have been totally conscious of his phrases and his willingness to waive a few of his wage to affix them.
Earlier than the top of the week, the Catalans submitted a mortgage supply to United and by Sunday, the ahead had landed in Barcelona to finalise the deal.
Up till he posed along with his new Barcelona shirt with the No 14 printed on the again — a homage to his childhood idol and Barca legend Thierry Henry — town had barely seen Rashford.
He spent two days going from the Torre Melina resort within the metropolis, the place he’ll keep till he finds a brand new dwelling, to the Joan Gamper coaching amenities in full secrecy. He barely set foot within the streets, the place native photographers had been ready for days exterior the resort.
The membership additionally tried to cover his involvement in Flick’s coaching classes on Monday and Tuesday, rigorously deciding on the photographs that have been launched earlier than his signing was made official.
It was an open secret throughout the membership how a lot Rashford needed this transfer, although.
Rashford’s solely intention this summer time was to affix Barcelona. If a deal couldn’t be struck, the ahead deliberate to remain at Manchester United, regardless of all of the turmoil round his standing on the membership and his relationship with Amorim.
(Ash Donelon/Manchester United through Getty Pictures)
In his press convention on Wednesday, he reiterated that. “My thoughts by no means modified,” he stated. “It’s tough to not be disrespectful to anyone however I’ve to decide and my selection is my selection and I might have waited longer (for Barcelona) if I needed to. No matter what occurs subsequent season, I’m not going to remorse my determination.”
He additionally appears unconcerned by the potential for Barcelona not with the ability to register him with La Liga. “From the conversations I’ve had with everybody, they solely fill me with confidence in regards to the membership. I don’t have any unfavourable ideas, or I don’t consider within the unfavourable ideas that is likely to be round.”
Rashford has been texting Barcelona gamers, together with Lamine Yamal, in latest months. The dressing room was totally conscious of his willingness to be part of the squad.
“He’s a really, very particular expertise,” Rashford stated of Yamal. “Final season, he was one of many main gamers on the planet, if not one of the best on the planet. It’s thrilling. Everyone in sport desires to play with one of the best”.
Barcelona’s first-team squad has given Rashford a heat reception this week. “If you happen to see the pure uncooked talent set he has… boof, it’s prime, prime class,” a supply throughout the dressing room informed The Athletic. “However right here he should run. I don’t know what went incorrect at Manchester United, however in case you are a striker and don’t run off the ball and when the workforce are counterpressing, you might be executed right here.”
Flick believes Rashford has all the pieces it takes to suit his high-pressing system — and people greater up on the membership consider the timing couldn’t be higher. Rashford is at a defining level in his profession and must work laborious and throw all the pieces into this transfer to satisfy Flick’s calls for in effort and utility.
Flick is demanding on the coaching floor (Adria Puig/Anadolu through Getty Pictures)
Amorim gave a powerful impression that he felt Rashford’s focus had slipped at United. The Athletic revealed in January how Amorim requested Rashford about his social life earlier than the Everton sport in December, after which judged his efficiency in coaching earlier than the Manchester derby later that month as nicely under requirements. Amorim dropped Rashford, who has not performed for United since.
“It’s one factor to say you might be motivated and decided,” Rashford stated on Wednesday, “however these are issues that may change daily relying on how you’re feeling. The factor that I deliver again to my life, not simply the game, is the self-discipline.
“The self-discipline is one thing that stays no matter whether or not you get up and don’t really feel prefer it at the moment. The self-discipline is the factor that retains you going.”
The expectation from the Barcelona backroom employees is that Rashford is used primarily as a left-winger. By way of the center, the membership see Ferran Torres as Lewandowski’s pure backup — plus there are different choices reminiscent of utilizing Olmo as a false 9.
Rashford enjoying on the left would additionally enable Raphinha to start out from central positions, one thing Barcelona’s employees are eager on exploiting this season.
In June, Rashford gave an interview to the Barcelona-based YouTuber xBuyer, the place he spoke about his future and his roles.
“Taking part in as a No 9 is changing into extra comfy, extra pure,” stated Rashford. “Small issues, reminiscent of enjoying again to objective, it’s changing into simpler for me. You’re all the time in entrance of the objective, so that you’re all the time harmful.”
Again then, Barcelona have been within the technique of making an attempt to signal Williams, with conversations understood to be at a complicated stage. Folks at Barcelona noticed Rashford’s phrases as proof of how eager he was on becoming a member of the membership in any function, even when Williams had accomplished a switch.
This season is a lifeline in Rashford’s profession. He has a degree to show and a goal to achieve, with the World Cup in sight subsequent summer time. Taking part in for England in america, Mexico and Canada subsequent summer time is a significant intention for Rashford. Barcelona consider he has an excessive amount of at stake to fiddle and never adapt to Flick’s calls for. Their perception in his motivation to work was a part of why they signed him.
There’s one other helpful aspect to all this: of all of the names Barcelona have thought-about for the left-wing place, Rashford shall be by far the simplest one to register.
He joins on a one-season mortgage, with no upfront fee, so, in contrast to any everlasting signing, he doesn’t include a price to amortise through the years of his contract.
Even with the pay minimize he takes, Rashford continues to be anticipated to be among the many best-paid gamers within the present squad, under Yamal and Lewandowski however consistent with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.
“This can be a workforce that’s completely happy, so when persons are completely happy it’s all the time straightforward to enter this setting,” stated Rashford.
“I really feel comfy, I can categorical myself. It’s a straightforward dressing room to be relaxed in. And it’s very formidable, so it’s good for me.”
(High images: Stringer/Anadolu through Getty Pictures; graphic: Eamonn Dalton/The Athletic)
