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Marcus Rashford was part of the “bomb squad” that Manchester United were desperate to offload this summer.
The Englishman rose through the ranks at Old Trafford and was once considered one of the brightest talents to have emerged from the club’s academy. Things haven’t gone according to plan of late, however.
From registering the season of his life under former manager Erik ten Hag to falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim, Rashford saw his career go haywire in the span of 18 months.
The 27 year old left the Red Devils in January this year to join Aston Villa on a six-month loan. Following a decent stay at Villa Park, Barcelona came calling this summer and Rashford moved to Camp Nou on loan for the rest of the season.
The Catalans reportedly have an option to buy the Englishman permanently next summer for around £30m. But it now appears his time at Camp Nou could be cut short midway through the deal.
Rashford has endured a slow start in LaLiga
Barcelona wanted a cost effective option to upgrade their attack this summer, and opted for Rashford. However, the player hasn’t lived up to expectations since arriving in Catalonia.
Rashford has featured in all three games for Barcelona this season, but only one of them was from the start.
According to sources in Spain (via The Manchester Evening News), the Catalans are considering an abrupt end to the loan deal in January.
Interestingly, there is a provision in the contract to facilitate a premature departure, provided the LaLiga champions are willing to pay a £4.3m penalty fee.
The report adds that Rashford’s performances this season have reportedly forced the Barcelona hierarchy to contemplate such a drastic step.
A final decision on the matter, however, will be made in the coming months, so the 27 year old will have to step up his efforts if he wants to stay.
Rashford is under contract at Old Trafford until 2028
Rashford is under contract with United until 2028, but is no longer part of Ruben Amorim’s plans.
The Premier League giants remain eager to move him on permanently, and are hoping that a fruitful stay in Spain will help their cause.
While the Red Devils haven’t received a loan fee for the Englishman, they will save around £12m in yearly wages from the deal.
As such, if the temporary arrangement is revoked at the turn of the year, it could also have financial implications for the English giants – and cause a great deal of anger for the head coach at Old Trafford.
Featured image Paul Miller via Getty Images
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