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Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Aston Villa, has hired a new agent to help secure a “dream move” to Barcelona this summer.
Rashford, 27, swapped Old Trafford for Villa Park in the January transfer window to join the Villains until the end of the season after a public dispute with Ruben Amorim.
Villa agreed to cover 75% of the England international’s wage packet, though this could rise to 90% with performance-related bonuses. A £40 million buy-option was also included in the deal.
Rashford has impressed since arriving in Birmingham with four goals and six assists in 17 appearances for his adopted side.
Villa manager Unai Emery, who played a key role in helping convince the Carrington graduate to accept the move, has fully backed Rashford, opting to play him ahead of fellow forward Ollie Watkins for the quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
A hamstring injury brought a premature end to Rashford’s season but there is a sense Emery would like the United loanee’s stay at Villa Park one to become a permanent one this summer.
However, Rashford has not settled on a decision over his future with sources close to the player revealing he does not consider a return to Old Trafford a viable possibility.
The 27-year-old forward is believed to view a switch to Barcelona – who expressed an interest in signing Rashford on loan in January – as a “dream move” and has enlisted the help of Pini Zahavi to seal the deal, according to Spanish outlet Deportivo Mundo.
The report describes Zahavi as a “high-profile, highly experienced agent” with “strong ties to FC Barcelona”. The Israeli is said to have a “good relationship” with club president Joan Laporta and also represents Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski.
It is these personal connections at Camp Nou which are the “main reason” why Rashford has “entrusted” Zahavi with helping him secure a move to Catalonia.
The player is said to be willing to take a cut on his wage packet at Old Trafford, worth in excess of £350,000 a week with bonuses, to help facilitate a deal.
From United’s perspective, they are keen to shift Rashford’s salary with a permanent exit as the 27-year-old’s status as an academy player means his sale would constitute ‘pure profit’ from the perspective of PSR.
However, Barcelona are unlikely to match the £40 million valuation included in Villa’s deal with Deportivo Mundo contending another loan is the “most realistic” path for a move to the Liga giant.
“A loan deal is seen as the most realistic path, given that he remains under contract until 2028 but is not in the plans of coach Rúben Amorim.
“Sources close to the player indicate that early-stage talks with Barcelona have already begun ahead of the summer window. For now, however, the club is not commenting on any potential transfer activity.”
Whether the Red Devils would be willing to accept another loan proposal ahead of a comprehensive summer at Old Trafford – where outgoing transfers are as important as incoming ones – remains to be seen.
Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images
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