Rashford wants Barcelona permanent move, braces for first El Clásico

Barcelona forward Marcus Rashford has hinted that when his loan from Manchester United expires in the summer, he intends to remain at Nou Camp.

The England forward could be permanently signed by Barcelona for £28 million, which is less than the £40 million United would demand from any other team. The loan move came true for him after the forward himself cryptically suggested that he wanted a move out of Manchester United.

In addition, he does not seem to be in Ruben Amorim’s plan next season, given how he was axed from the squad last season to play the second half of the season with Aston Villa, helping the team reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Appearing on Barcelona’s official YouTube channel ahead of Sunday’s El Clásico showdown, Rashford answered in affirmation when asked if he would like a permanent stay at the club.

For sure. I’m enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player, it is an honour. People forget this, but 23 years of my life was with Manchester United. So sometimes you just need a change. I think maybe this is the case with me and I’m enjoying everything,” he said.

At Barcelona, Hansi Flick has helped the 27-year-old get back to his groove, at least gradually. He has now netted five times for Barcelona, including a brace in his Champions League debut for the team against Newcastle United.

He is now set to play his first El Clásico, and he looks forward to the biggest league fixture in Spain.

“It’s my first Clásico and I’m looking forward to it because it’s maybe the biggest game there is. I’m from Manchester, so it’s not the biggest game in Manchester. It’s the most-watched game in the world. You watch all the El Clásicos from history. You try to learn from the best players, especially in the most pressure moments,” Rashford said.

Barcelona will travel to Real Madrid on Sunday, October 26, hoping to get a win in order to leapfrog the Los Blancos to sit top of the La Liga table.