Marcus Rashford: Man United put on alert as Barcelona stir transfer talk again

It remains a mystery whether Marcus Rashford will still be a Manchester United player by the time the transfer window closes.

Only a few months ago, it seemed unthinkable that Rashford would ever pull on a Manchester United shirt again or represent the club in a competitive match.

Now, however, it looks increasingly likely that he could feature for the Red Devils in this weekend’s Premier League opener against Hull City.

Back in the fold

Michael Carrick has welcomed the dangerous forward back into the squad after ending the exile that his predecessor, Ruben Amorim, had imposed on the explosive attacker.

The expectation now is that Rashford could stay, and Harry Maguire has already raved about what a “huge threat” he can be for this Man United side.

Yet, just as every indication points towards Rashford bolstering Carrick’s attacking options, a fresh report claims that Barcelona have not given up on securing his services.

The Spanish giants chose not to trigger the bargain £26 million permanent option in his loan deal, leading many to conclude they no longer wanted him. That decision felt particularly surprising given the revolutionary season he enjoyed with them: 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances.

Their subsequent moves for Anthony Gordon and Kareem Adeyemi only appeared to confirm he was no longer part of their plans.

Barcelona back for Rashford

Teamtalk now suggests otherwise, claiming that “Barcelona remain in contact with Marcus Rashford’s representatives.”

The report adds that “it is still possible that Rashford could leave before the end of the transfer window, with Barcelona firmly remaining in the picture” and that “Barcelona have not closed the door on a return.”

Claims echoed by the Theatre of Red’s Shaun Connolly:

“As we revealed months ago, Barcelona retain their admiration for Rashford, and talks have remained open through intermediaries since June.”

Transfer could drastically change Man United’s plans

Whether Barcelona can convince United to sanction a transfer remains to be seen.

Should the 20-time English champions decide to let Rashford leave, however, the move would drastically alter their transfer plans. They would almost certainly need to sign a winger in addition to a midfielder and a left-back.

Whether that is a route INEOS are prepared to take is something we will have to wait and see.

The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment

Overall credibility: 8/10
Why?

:white_check_mark: Reported by a credible United source and echoed by a reputable journalist covering the club

:warning: It remains a mystery whether Rashford stays or not

TPP View

We believe that after the fantastic season Rashford had at Barcelona, they were always going to want him back. The elephant in the room, however, has always been whether Barcelona can convince United over a deal.

Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images