Manchester United get a player with no future under Ruben Amorim off their books and free up considerable space on their wage bill. Barcelona acquire a potentially world-class forward without having to commit to signing him on a permanent deal.
But the biggest winner in Marcus Rashford's move from Old Trafford to Camp Nou on loan with an option to buy is the player himself. He swaps a side that finished 15th in the Premier League last term for one which won a domestic double and rank among this season's favourites to win the Champions League.
He gets to play with Lamine Yamal, a wish made public during an interview Spanish influencer Javi Ruiz last month. It seemed he might not get the chance when Barcelona subsequently tried to sign Athletic Club's Nico Williams then Liverpool's Luis Diaz but it all came together for him after those moves failed to materialise.
It is not what anyone at Manchester United envisioned back in 2023, when he signed a five-year contract worth £325,000 a week on the back of an outstanding, 30-goal season under Erik ten Hag. The idea was that his boyhood club would enjoy his peak years.
But Rashford's output dropped dramatically in the following campaign and despite early encouragement after Amorim's appointment last year, in the form of three goals in his first three games in charge, he was soon dropped by the new head coach due to disciplinary issues and poor performances in training.
In what might turn out to be his final appearance in a Manchester United shirt, away to Europa League opponents Viktoria Plzen in December of last year, Rashford was hooked after only 56 minutes and booed by some supporters as he made his way off.
A lot may have changed by the time his loan spell ends next summer. It is not inconceivable that a change of manager could reopen the door to him at Old Trafford. But it is nigh-on impossible to see a way back for him under this one. It feels a necessary parting of ways. He needs a fresh start and so do his club.
It is on him now to show Barcelona that he is worth signing permanently. If he can reach the heights of his best seasons, in 2019/20 and 2022/23, it will be an easy decision for them, especially with the purchase clause set at just £26m. He is still only 27.
His challenge is to finally deliver consistency, on and off the pitch, but his time on loan at Aston Villa in the second half of last season offers encouragement. Rashford appeared rejuvenated under Unai Emery, contributing four goals and five assists in 17 games in all competitions before his campaign was ended by injury.
His performances earned him an England recall from Thomas Tuchel and it was not just in an attacking capacity that he impressed.
Rashford's off-the-ball work was notably improved too. He averaged nearly four times as many tackles per 90 minutes for Aston Villa as in the first half of the campaign for Manchester United.
He showed his versatility too, initially playing on the left flank then usurping Ollie Watkins in the No 9 role. He ended up playing more minutes up front than he did as a winger, producing a standout performance in the role in Villa's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain in April.
A week later, he had Roy Keane singing his praises following another eye-catching showing up front in a late defeat to Manchester City. "When there is grass in front of him he is as good as any player," said the Sky Sports pundit. "Ask the defenders, he is a nightmare. It is almost impossible to stop."
Those displays no doubt helped convince Barcelona of his capacity to hurt top opposition. "We like Rashford," confirmed their sporting director Deco a month later.
It will be interesting to see how they use him.
Having said in an interview with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville in 2023 that he preferred playing on the left wing, Rashford now appears to see himself as a striker. "For me, playing as a No 9 is becoming more comfortable, more natural," he told Ruiz.
Barcelona will hope he proves useful to them in both roles but having previously tried to sign Williams and Diaz, it seems likely that he is primarily seen as someone to provide competition for Raphinha on the left wing.
It will not be easy to usurp the Brazil international, who ranks as one of Barcelona's most important players. He was named LaLiga player of the year last season and scored 34 goals in 57 games in all competitions.
Rashford might not start every game but Barcelona would not have taken on his huge wages if they did not see him forming a significant part of their plans. At the very least he will add attacking depth and allow head coach Hansi Flick to rotate up front as well as on the left.
Robert Lewandowski continues to defy his years. He produced his highest-scoring season yet for the club last term, with 42 goals. But he turns 37 next month. His minutes will need to be managed. Their new arrival can provide an alternative option in his position.
For Rashford, the challenge is simply to make the most of any opportunities he gets and prove to Barcelona that he is worth extracting from Old Trafford on a permanent basis.
But by moving from an ailing European giant in Manchester United to one in a position of Champions League-level strength in Barcelona, and getting a chance to prove himself again at the very top, he already looks like the biggest winner of the deal.