2 weeks ago
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Barcelona has set its sights on Marcus Rashford as a "priority" target for the summer transfer window, following Liverpool's refusal to entertain offers for Luis Diaz.
Rashford is on the hunt for a new club after falling out of favour with Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim. Despite a successful loan spell at Aston Villa where he made quite an impression under Unai Emery, the club chose not to exercise their option to buy him for $54 million.
After an injury cut short his time at Villa, Rashford has been on the mend and actively seeking interest from European clubs. United granted him additional time off to find a new team before he was expected back in training, and he's now working separately from the main squad at Carrington.
Sky in Germany reports that Barcelona is now going "all-in" for Rashford, who has emerged as a "clear number one target" after the La Liga giants missed out on Diaz.
Hansi Flick, the Barca head coach, is in search of a fresh winger and was left wanting after Liverpool made it clear that Diaz, valued at $81 million, was not up for grabs.
Bayern Munich also saw an offer for the 28 year old turned down this summer.
This development comes amidst Diaz's own declaration of contentment at Anfield, having contributed significantly to their Premier League triumph with 13 goals and five assists under Arne Slot.
Flick has now given Barcelona the go-ahead to pursue Rashford, and the La Liga club will endeavour to secure the deal.
Barcelona also missed out on Nico Williams following his surprising decision to ink a 10-year contract with Athletic Bilbao, while it has also decided against signing another target, AC Milan's Rafael Leao.
It is understood that Rashford is prepared to take a significant reduction in his $440,000-a-week salary to facilitate a move to the Spanish heavyweights, assisting Barca in keeping costs low.
However, the Spanish club are more inclined towards a loan deal rather than a permanent signing.
His wages continue to be a hurdle in any potential deal, and United may still need to subsidise a portion of his salary to finalise the transfer.
The Red Devils have already brought in forward Matheus Cunha, pushing Rashford further down the pecking order, while they are also attempting to secure Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo.
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