INSIDE BARçA: WHY THE CLUB IS STALLING ON MARCUS RASHFORD WHILE LEWANDOWSKI EYES MLS
Marcus Rashford faces a crucial 2026 as Barcelona demands better defensive pressing before making his £26m loan move permanent.
Reports from Spain say Marcus Rashford's time at Barcelona is up in the air. Things could depend on whether he improves his defence.
After being let go by Ruben Amorim, the United academy product joined Barcelona on loan this July for 12 months. There's a potential option to make the deal permanent for about £26 million.
So far, he's scored seven goals and assisted 11 in 24 games for Hansi Flick's team. They're sitting four points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the league, and Rashford says he's happy in Catalonia.
But, Mundo Deportivo says Rashford still needs to show people at the club that his defence and pressing are good enough before they'll consider a long-term deal.
Sources within the club told the Spanish news source that the 28-year-old has gotten mostly good feedback during his time at Camp Nou. Though Barcelona might try to lower the price if they decide to buy him permanently.
Barcelona is thinking about Rashford's future along with Robert Lewandowski, whose contract is up this summer, and Andreas Christensen, who used to play for Chelsea.
It sounds like whether Rashford stays at Barcelona is still undecided.
Lewandowski has been mentioned as a possible addition to MLS, the Saudi Pro League, and the Turkish Super Lig. The 37-year-old striker might not decide what he's doing until the end of the season. He has 109 goals in 165 appearances for Barcelona.
Christensen has had a lot of injuries while at Camp Nou. People think he'll leave when his contract is done.
Barcelona is still trying to win everything this season. Flick wants to keep winning after a domestic treble in 2024-25. Last season, they reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Rashford told Sport last month that he wants to be part of the club's plans to win more trophies.
Of course, this is what I want, he said. But that's not why I'm pushing and working hard.
I want to win. Barcelona is a great club, known for winning. This kind of pressure is something I want while playing. If I'm at a club that doesn't want these things, it's harder for me to stay motivated. This is a great place for me to continue playing football.
He added: I felt welcome from the start. I'm here to help the team win trophies.
Rashford wasn't needed at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim.
Last year was great, but things change fast in life and football. We need to do it again.
I'm focused on this, and the staff and players know that. It's really good.
Rashford came up through United's academy and into the first team under Louis van Gaal in 2016. He was one of the club's most interesting young players. But a tough time at United – with six different managers – led to inconsistent performances.
After scoring 30 times in Erik ten Hag's first season, he didn't keep up his form. When Amorim arrived, it was the beginning of the end for the England player at Old Trafford.
He joined Aston Villa less than three months after the Portuguese manager showed up, who said he couldn't get Rashford to buy into his ideas.
I couldn't get Marcus to see how to play football and train the way I see it, Amorim said.
Sometimes a player is great with one coach but different with another. I wish Rashford all the best.
BARTOMEU UNCOVERS SECRET 2017 MBAPPé BID DURING REVEALING CADENA SER INTERVIEW
Josep Maria Bartomeu reveals Barcelona targeted Kylian Mbappé in 2017, but coaches preferred a move for Ousmane Dembélé instead
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has just dropped a bit of a bombshell: right after Neymar left for PSG, Barcelona actually went after Kylian Mbappe. That chaotic summer in 2017, when Neymar's record-breaking move sent shockwaves through the club, left them scrambling for a new superstar.
Bartomeu admitted in an interview with SER that Neymar’s shock exit caught everyone off guard. “Neymar’s departure came as a shock to the club; we didn’t want him to leave,” he said. Suddenly, Barcelona was scouring the market for big names, and with Mbappe starring at Monaco, he became their top target.
But here’s the twist: even though the club reached out for both Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, the coaching staff made the final call. Bartomeu explained, “We made an offer for Mbappe and another for Dembele. The coaching staff preferred Dembele.” So, instead of pushing for Mbappe, Barcelona pressed ahead with Dembele, ultimately striking a deal with Borussia Dortmund worth €105 million plus add-ons.
Of course, there was the small matter of money, too. Bartomeu clarified that the price Monaco set for Mbappe was simply out of reach: €180 million, take it or leave it, and it was PSG who could step up. “It wasn’t an offer in the strict sense. They would say to you, "He's worth €180 million." If you want Mbappe, it’s €180 million, and Paris paid it.” Between the steep price and the coaching staff’s strong preference for Dembele, Barcelona backed off.
Bartomeu also opened up about how he handled transfers during his tenure. One thing stood out: after he pushed for the Luis Suarez signing from Liverpool despite all the controversy and got hammered with criticism, he decided to step back and trust the technical staff from then on. Suarez went on to win the Champions League and four La Liga titles with Barcelona, but that experience taught Bartomeu a lesson. “The only decision I made as president or as an administrator, and which I defended vigorously, was the signing of Suarez,” he said. “I was heavily criticised by all the media, so I learned the lesson that the president or administrators cannot interfere in sporting matters. We must trust the technical staff, the sporting directors, and the coaches; it is they who decide on signings.”
BARCELONA SECURE 14-POINT LEAD OVER MADRID; ESPANYOL RESULT NOW DETERMINES TITLE
Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored late to move Barcelona 14 points clear, leaving them one Madrid loss from the title.
Barcelona now sit 14 points ahead of Real Madrid, and if Madrid slips up against Espanyol on Sunday, the title’s theirs.
Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock after 81 minutes, nodding in a header, and Torres added another four minutes from the end. Osasuna didn't quit, though Raul Garcia pulled one back late, but Barcelona held on for all three points. They’re inching closer to a second league title in a row, the club’s 29th overall.
If Madrid beats Espanyol, Barcelona’s next chance to seal it comes in the Clásico on May 10 against their biggest rivals.
Flick’s trying to keep his team’s focus on the next match rather than the Clasico, but Barcelona played the first half like a squad with little to lose. Missing the injured Lamine Yamal, they lost a chunk of their energy on the attack. Sure, they dominated possession, but breaking down Osasuna for real chances? That was tough.
Roony Bardghji, filling in for Yamal on the right, managed a decent long shot, but Osasuna’s keeper, Sergio Herrera, had no trouble stopping it. Honestly, Osasuna nearly shocked everyone before halftime. Ante Budimir battled through two defenders and poked the ball off the post.
Barcelona picked up the pace after the break. Dani Olmo should’ve scored from close range, but he fluffed it. Flick then rolled the dice from the bench, bringing on three subs, including Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, to take over the right flank.
Rashford almost made an immediate impact, curling a shot just over and injecting some much-needed speed. He set up the opener too, swinging in a perfect cross for Lewandowski, who lost his marker and buried his header. Torres, another sub, finished with precision to double the lead.
Still, it wasn’t comfortable. Garcia scored for Osasuna in stoppage time, left wide open in the box, forcing Barcelona to sweat out the last minutes. The Catalans dug in, clearing everything in sight as Osasuna pressed, but finally, they held on for their tenth league win in a row. Now, all they can do is wait.
