Barcelona will reportedly face stiff competition from Atletico Madrid in the race to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United in the summer.
According to a report by The Sun, Manchester United will be hoping to convince Marcus Rashford to stay put at Old Trafford beyond the summer transfer window despite his struggles this season. Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are among the clubs keen on securing the services of the disgruntled English forward.
Marcus Rashford was primed for big things when he broke into the first-team setup at Manchester United half a dozen years ago. While the 24-year-old has progressed considerably during this period, the going has been tough for him in the ongoing campaign, as he has failed to get going since returning from an injury layoff.
The English international has a paltry record of five goals and two assists in 27 appearances across all competitions. And after struggling to make an impression, Rashford has fallen down the pecking order, behind even newly-promoted academy product Anthony Elanga. The player’s situation has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid keen on signing him.
The interest from Barcelona stems from the rising uncertainties surrounding the future of Memphis Depay. The former Manchester United forward has fallen down the pecking order at Camp Nou following Ferran Torres’s arrival from Manchester City in the January transfer window.
If Ousmane Dembele ends up staying put at Camp Nou, Depay’s woes will increase, especially with Ansu Fati primed for big things at Barcelona. Rashford is thus a viable target for the Blaugrana, who will need to fend off stiff competition from La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid in the race to sign the Manchester United forward.
Atletico Madrid could delve into the market for an attacking reinforcement in the summer transfer window, as Luis Suarez will likely depart from the Wanda Metropolitano as a free agent. While Rashford will not be a like-for-like replacement, he has the characteristics to fill the ex-Barcelona striker’s void at Atletico Madrid.
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In addition to Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, Rashford is also a target for Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, the Catalan giants have already been in contact with the 24-year-old. As for Manchester United, the Red Devils are scrambling to convince the English international to remain at Old Trafford beyond the summer transfer window. It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for Rashford.