Barcelona are hoping Marcus Rashford does not enjoy a standout World Cup, because a strong tournament could make it harder and more expensive to keep him. The England forward scored in a 4-2 win over Croatia after coming off the bench, and his form has already pushed up his market value and drawn more attention from other clubs.
Barcelona decided not to activate their 30 million euro purchase option on the winger before it expired on June 15, but coach Hansi Flick told him before the tournament that he still wants him for next season. Rashford also wants to stay, yet his future now depends on Barcelona finding a way to meet Manchester United’s demands before competition for him increases further.
United have made clear they are not considering another loan deal and, for now, are only willing to negotiate a permanent transfer. Rashford is currently valued at about 46 million euros, with the price expected to rise if he keeps a prominent role at the World Cup. Barcelona, meanwhile, have other transfer priorities, but know time is working against them.
The article says Rashford remains one of Barcelona’s key performers in the tournament’s opening round. Thirteen Barcelona players featured in the first matchday, with Cubarsí, Pedri, Gavi, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Koundé, De Jong, and Gordon starting, while Lamine Yamal, Rashford, and Egyptian midfielder Hamza Abdal-Kareem came off the bench. Eric Garcia, Joan Garcia, and Ronald Araújo had not yet played, although Araújo was a doubt because of a muscle injury.
