‘He’s really enjoying it‘ — Former Manchester United manager talks about Marcus Rashford’s resurgence at Barcelona | OneFootball

FC Barcelona may not have been the most active club in the summer transfer market, but they made a smart move by bringing Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United with a very favourable option to buy.

The English forward had struggled at Old Trafford over the past few seasons and eventually fell out of favour, leading to a loan move to Aston Villa for the second half of last season. Since joining Barcelona, Rashford has returned to top form, thriving in a system that suits his strengths.

Ex-Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, spoke about Rashford’s resurgence at the Catalan club on the English podcast Stick to Football.

He revealed that he had sent Rashford a few text messages after noticing his impressive performances and admitted that he had never understood the striker’s decline at United. Solskjaer said, “I’ve hardly spoken with Marcus since I left, but lately I’ve sent him a few text messages.” He admitted that he had never understood why Rashford had gone through such a deep slump at United. “It seemed like he wasn’t enjoying himself here. I don’t know what was happening in his life, but now it’s clear he’s really enjoying it in Barcelona,” he said.

Solskjaer reflected on Rashford’s energy and enthusiasm, comparing it to that of Erling Haaland at his peak, but lamenting that it had disappeared during his final years at Old Trafford:

“What is it? Life? Too many matches? We don’t know. But he’s found the perfect balance,” he said. He added, “We don’t know what’s going on with players when they come in the morning in a bad mood. That’s the coach’s job: to notice when something is off.”

While Rashford’s future at Manchester United had become uncertain, leading to loans at Aston Villa and now Barcelona, Solskjaer celebrated the forward’s revival. “We just want him to do well. He’s an incredible player when he’s fit and happy,” he concluded.

Everyone at Manchester loved Rashford, with the exception of perhaps Ruben Amorim. He was a fan favourite, having come through the club’s academy, but although he is technically still on United’s books, he does not seem to have a future there.

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Rashford feels at home at Barcelona. Hansi Flick’s team helps him play to his strengths, and the injuries to Raphinha and Lamine Yamal have allowed the 28-year-old to enjoy a sustained start to his career in Spain.

The numbers back up his on-field resurgence. After providing two assists in Barcelona’s recent league match against Celta at Balaidos, Rashford has tallied six goals and seven assists across all competitions.

He is the top assist provider in the top five European leagues, and he averages over one goal contribution per game, the best figure of his career.

If he continues in the same vein, the future looks very bright for Rashford. Barcelona will not hesitate to sign him permanently, and we will have to wait and see how things play out.