Chelsea superstar emerges as the main Rashford alternative for Barcelona | OneFootball

Having missed out on Nico Williams and seemingly priced out of a move for Luis Diaz, Barcelona have turned their attention to Marcus Rashford.

The Manchester United attacker has emerged as the primary attacking target for the Blaugrana as they look to add more depth to the offensive unit.

Although a loan deal could be in the offing for Rashford, Barcelona have already identified fallback options should the deal fall through.

Christopher Nkunku emerges as backup option

According to Florian Plettenberg, Christopher Nkunku has emerged as the ‘other’ attacking target for Barcelona amid the Rashford pursuit.

Formerly of Leipzig, Nkunku has been playing his trade for Chelsea over the past two years, during which he has featured in over 60 competitive matches for the club.

Nkunku hasn’t quite lit up the Premier League, though, having scored only 18 goals and mustering five assists for Chelsea.

Christopher Nkunku in action for Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

However, the Frenchman’s talent remains undeniable, which is why Barcelona are targeting a potential summer swoop.

Nkunku could be an ideal fit in Hansi Flick’s system as he can offer tactical versatility. The Frenchman is indeed capable of operating across channels and even operating as a false nine, if required.

This should offer Flick some much-needed attacking flexibility, especially with Robert Lewandowski not getting any younger.

However, acquiring the services of Nkunku could be a challenge as the Blues had spent €60 million to sign him in 2023.

The Premier League, therefore, would want to recoup that fee and as such, it won’t be surprising to see Barcelona only considering a loan move for Nkunku, at least for now.

But before Barcelona make any decision with regards to Nknuku, the club would want to wait for the final outcome on the Rashford pursuit.