Barcelona explore alternatives to €30m Rashford buy option | OneFootball

FC Barcelona brought Marcus Rashford on loan during the last summer transfer window to strengthen their attack, and the English forward has quickly become a key player for La Blaugrana.

Despite not being a guaranteed starter under Hansi Flick, Rashford has already contributed 7 goals and 11 assists in 27 appearances, underlining his importance to the team.

Barcelona are eager to retain him beyond his current loan season. The club holds a purchase option that would allow them to sign Rashford permanently for €30 million.

Although this amount seems quite reasonable for a player of Rashford’s quality, the current financial situation of Barcelona makes it difficult for them to comfortably pay even this sum for the Englishman, and they are exploring other options to retain him.

In light of this, Barcelona has started talks with Manchester United to explore alternative ways to keep Rashford. According to reports from TalkSPORT (via Mundo Deportivo), a recent meeting between the two clubs discussed two main possibilities.

The first is negotiating a lower transfer fee for a permanent move this summer, while the second would involve extending Rashford’s loan for another season with a conditional obligation to buy.

From Manchester United’s perspective, they are keen to sell the player now and consider the €30 million buy option fair. However, Marcus Rashford himself wants only to stay at Barcelona, and this can play into the Catalan club’s hands in this transfer operation.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has personally conveyed the club’s desire to retain the forward, and the situation remains open. While the final decision will depend on finding a financially feasible solution, there is a strong possibility that Rashford will get his wish to continue his career at Camp Nou.