Barcelona push for Marcus Rashford deal but don’t want to pay agreed fee

Barcelona clinched the Spanish Super Cup with a 3-2 win over Real Madrid last weekend. Now, the Spanish club is looking to tie down a key player.

Marcus Rashford arrived from Manchester United on a one-year loan deal last summer. A Manchester native, Rashford had spent his entire professional career with the Red Devils but had fallen out of favor at Old Trafford.

Since the move to Barcelona he has looked reborn, contributing seven goals and 11 assists for Hansi Flick’s side. Rashford has not been a first-choice for Barcelona but is capable of filling in at various attacking positions, making him a valuable rotation piece.

The loan deal agreed between Manchester United and Barcelona last summer includes a €30 million ($34.9M) release clause. However Barcelona, still in a difficult financial position, are looking to reduce the up-front cost.

Barcelona balk at Rashford transfer fee

In recent years Barcelona have been walking a financial tightrope, struggling to register players while keeping within the league’s regulations. That situation is making the Rashford deal difficult.

TalkSport in England reports that Barcelona have opened up talks with United about a permanent deal. They are eager to keep Rashford and the player wants to stay at Camp Nou.

To avoid paying the €30m this summer, Barcelona may propose another one-year loan with an obligation to buy Rashford the following year. They would likely still pay the agreed €30m but would have an extra 12 months to free up accounting space.

Alternatively, Barcelona may push for a reduced transfer fee this summer. The €30M fee represents a relative bargain for a player of Rashford’s quality, but his exorbitant salary complicates matters for potential suitors. For United too, they may decide to sell Rashford in a cut-price deal to avoid being struck paying his wages for the remaining two years of his deal.