Man Utd: Rashford feels a ‘hidden hand preventing’ Barcelona move amid buy-to-sell agreement claims | OneFootball

Man Utd loanee Marcus Rashford is beginning to think that one Barcelona player is influencing the Catalan club’s potential decision not to sign him, according to reports.

The England international has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for Man Utd but the 28-year-old left Old Trafford to join Aston Villa in the final six months of last season.

Rashford had been left out of the team after falling out with then manager Ruben Amorim and he was again loaned out in the summer, this time to La Liga giants Barcelona.

The Man Utd forward has been decent for Barcelona this season with ten goals and nine assists in 34 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan side.

Barcelona have a €30m (£26m) option to make the deal permanent in the summer transfer window but there have been doubts whether they will choose to trigger it.

The La Liga outfit are unsure if they can afford the fee and his high salary ahead of the summer despite being impressed by his contribution since signing.

And now reports in Spain are claiming that Rashford ‘starting to think there’s a hidden hand preventing Barça from signing him’ ahead of the summer.

With Barcelona unsure whether to commit to the spend, the report adds: ‘From the player’s camp, the situation is starting to cause concern. Rashford senses that, despite his good performance and impact at certain points in the season, the club isn’t sending positive signals about his future. In these kinds of situations, silence is usually interpreted as a risk factor rather than simply a strategic pause.’

And Rashford ‘believes the club won’t make an effort because of Raphinha’ with the report continuing: ‘According to sources close to the situation, the Englishman has reason to believe that Barça’s refusal to sign him stems from Raphinha’s influence.’

Speculation last week insisted that Man Utd are having ‘regrets’ about agreeing to a £26m option as they club’s hierarchy now value him at closer to £50m.

Former Man Utd assistant manager Rene Meulensteen reckons Rashford could return to Old Trafford in the summer.

Meulensteen said: “It could be a route back for Marcus Rashford at Man United, definitely.

“I think Marcus is still as ‘red’ as anyone because he came through the ranks as a young kid, and that will never go away, that will never leave him.

“It’s the same with Scott McTominay. Both players have done extremely well wherever they’ve gone. But I think it was good for Marcus to have that spell away, first of all at Aston Villa, but now at Barcelona. It’s a different culture, a different language, and a different style. Every week is different.

“The Premier League is different. It’s so much more demanding than any league in the world. And I think he’s enjoying his football, and that’s the most important thing. He needs to enjoy his football.”