The inside story of how Hansi Flick convinced star attacker to join Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona’s decision to place their trust in Marcus Rashford last summer is proving to be one of the most inspired moves of the season. 

After months of internal analysis and scouting, the club opted to bring in the England international on loan from Manchester United, a move that initially raised eyebrows but has since delivered clear results.

Fast forward to the present, and Rashford’s impact has been undeniable. Across all competitions, the forward has already registered seven goals and 11 assists in 24 appearances. 

Now, a recent report from SPORT has provided deeper insight into how the deal came together and, more importantly, the decisive role played by head coach Hansi Flick. 

Flick’s role in the transfer

According to the report, Flick was personally involved from the very early stages of the operation.

The first direct contact between Flick and Rashford reportedly took place as early as May. 

At that point, Barcelona’s priority target for the wing was Nico Williams. However, when he chose to renew his contract with Athletic Club, Barça were forced to activate their alternative plan. 

Flick then stepped in to personally explain the sporting project to Rashford, outlining the role he envisioned for him within the squad.

Rashford has been very impressive for Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Crucially, Rashford was fully aware that a move to Barcelona would not come with guarantees. 

He knew that arriving at the club meant fierce competition and that earning a starting place would be anything but easy. 

That challenge, rather than deterring him, became part of the attraction. The opportunity to reset his career in a demanding environment appealed to him.

Man Utd made things easier

From Manchester United’s side, negotiations were relatively smooth, as Rashford was no longer a central figure in Ruben Amorim’s plans, which made reaching an agreement more straightforward. 

Personal terms with the player were largely settled early, leaving the two clubs to negotiate how his salary would be divided.

In the end, it was Rashford himself who made the decisive sacrifice, agreeing to give up around 15 percent of his wages to unblock the deal. 

Barcelona also secured a purchase option set at approximately €30 million at the end of the season.

With everything agreed, Rashford wasted no time. He flew to Barcelona, completed just a couple of training sessions, and immediately joined the squad for the pre-season tour.