Barcelona are advancing with talks to sign Marcus Rashford, talkSPORT understands.
The Spanish giants are in discussions with Manchester United over an initial loan move with an option to buy, after the forward was told he has no future at Old Trafford.
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Barca boss Hansi Flick believes Rashford’s versatility makes him an attractive proposition and top alternative to Nico Williams.
The Spain international was the Catalan giants’ top attacking target this summer, but he opted not to move to the Nou Camp in favour of signing a new long-term deal with Athetic Bilbao instead.
Rashford is one of Manchester United’s highest-paid players, earning in excess of £350,000-a-week.
But, having spent the second-half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, Rashford has been told he has no future under Ruben Amorim.
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The Premier League giants realise the chances of finding a club who will sign him permanently this summer are slim.
His No.10 shirt has already been handed over to new signing Matheus Cunha, who has joined from Wolves for £62.5million.
Rashford impressed on loan at Villa Park with four goals and six assists in 17 appearances, but Unai Emery and his club decided to pass on their option to sign him permanently for £40m.
talkSPORT reported in April that Rashford sees Barcelona as his dream move.
But former Premier League winger Darren Ambrose argues that he ‘doesn’t deserve’ to play for a historic club like Barcelona given his recent form.
The ex-Newcastle and Crystal Palace star told talkSPORT: “It’s what he wanted for a few years now, Marcus Rashford. He’s been open about his desire to play for Barcelona.
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“I’m surprised, I’m not going to lie. I’m surprised. I look at it and I think an on-form Marcus Rashford can go and compete in the Barcelona team.
“But that’s the issue. When was that form? Where has that form been? He did OK at Aston Villa, had a couple of good games, but at Manchester United he has been terrible, really, for the last season. The last two seasons.
“So on form you think, ‘OK, yeah, he’s got an opportunity’, but is he really going to play at Barcelona? I don’t know.
“It’s not really a risk for Barcelona. It’s a loan with the option to buy. They’re hoping to get the Marcus Rashford from two or three years ago, but if they don’t he just goes back to Manchester United.
“But I don’t think he deserves it at the moment, given the form he’s been in.
“He’s still a top quality player, there’s a quality player in there if he wants to bring that out, but I don’t think football’s been at the forefront of his priorities the last few years, apart from when he went on loan to Villa and did reasonably well.”
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An uncertain future at United became apparent in January when Amorim suggested he’d rather play a goalkeeping coach over the forward.
Rashford was absent from a number of Premier League matches, with his head coach citing his work ethic as the reason.
“It’s always the same reason,” he said. “The reasons is the training, the way I see what a footballer should do.
“In training, in life and it’s every day, every detail. So if things don’t change, I will not change.
“It’s the same situation for every player. If you do the maximum, if you do the right things, we can use every player.”
Rashford has made 426 appearances for United since his debut in 2016, scoring 138 goals and assisting 79.
Danny Murphy believes Ruben Amorim made a huge mistake getting rid of Marcus Rashford at Manchester United
The 27-year-old is a two-time FA Cup and two-time Carabao Cup winner with his boyhood club.
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He has also lifted the Europa League and Community Shield.
Rashford last featured for United in their 2-1 Europa League win against FC Viktoria Plzen in December.
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