Manchester United set €80 million price tag on 24-year-old forward linked with Barcelona

Ever since reports of Erling Haaland inching closer to a switch to Manchester City emerged, there has been a spike in speculations about the changes in Barcelona’s transfer plans for the summer.

Haaland had been earmarked as the absolute priority for the upcoming transfer window. But with diminishing hopes, the Catalan giants are now forced to look elsewhere, leading to links with Robert Lewandowski, Lautaro Martinez, Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Patrik Schick, among others.

Now, SPORT has thrown another name in the ring, claiming that Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford is also on the radars of Barcelona as an alternative for Haaland.

The 24-year-old striker is a product of the Red Devils’ academy and has grown into a vital player for the club over the past half a decade. Despite his young age, the Englishman has racked up close to 300 appearances for the Premier League behemoths, scoring 93 goals.

However, the ongoing season has been difficult for Rashford. He missed the early parts of the campaign due to injury and has been unable to recapture his best form since returning. It has led to him dropping behind the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga in the pecking order.

Rashford has grown frustrated by the lack of opportunities and is considering leaving the club in the summer. It has alerted Barcelona, who are believed to have been in regular contact with the player in recent months.

The report states that Manchester United value Rashford at around €80 million, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2023. However, the club do have the option of extending it by another year.

Barcelona are very much aware of his situation and are considering making a play for his signing, should the England international decide to leave in the summer. It is further claimed that Rashford himself would be open to the prospect of playing at Camp Nou.

Any move, though, would demand on Manchester United’s final asking price as well as the forward’s wage demands. He is currently on a basic salary of £200,000 per week at Old Trafford and could ask for a higher pay packet, which could be an issue for Barcelona.

Apart from the financial aspects, Barça will also have to stave off interest from Arsenal, who are also in touch with the Englishman’s camp over a potential transfer in the summer.