CL giant’s president confirms plan to sign red-hot United star in hostile raid, INEOS are powerless to stop it – report

Joan Laporta has claimed that Barcelona “will try” to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United this summer after winning re-election as president, though doubts over a deal continue to swirl in the background. A Major Hurdle Cleared Rashford, 28, is currently on a season-long loan at Camp Nou after the Spanish giants struck a deal with United last summer for the out-of-favour forward. It has proven to be a masterstroke for both parties, however, with the England international returning 10 goals and 13 assists for the Blaugrana, while reclaiming his place in the Three Lions squad ahead of this summer’s World Cup. A £26 million buy option was included in the deal, though Barcelona are understood to be exploring whether this price can be driven even further down, or even if a second loan could be sanctioned. As a result, INEOS are believed to be “ruing this arrangement” as Rashford’s resurgence means his market valuation has far surpassed this figure. Multiple clubs have expressed interest in signing the Carrington graduate should Barcelona choose not to activate the clause. However, there was another twist in the tale in Catalonia which could have seen Rashford return to Old Trafford: the Barcelona presidential elections. Laporta was facing competition from Xavier Vilajoana, who was previously head of La Masia. The 53-year-old executive’s platform revolved heavily around the club’s famous academy, publicly declaring his preference to re-sign academy star Jan Virgili over a deal for Rashford.  Had Vilajoana emerged victorious, the chances of the United loanee’s stay in Spain becoming permanent would have been drastically slashed. However, Laporta was confirmed as victor yesterday with 68% of the vote, marking his fourth term as president and confirming another five years at the helm of Camp Nou.  Barcelona “will try” to keep Rashford Speaking after the election win, Laporta confirmed the Blaugrana “will try” to sign Rashford – a choice of words that is simultaneously positive and negative from a United perspective.  “Marcus is performing very well with assists and goals, and Cancelo, on the other hand, is doing very well,” Laporta told RAC1 (as relayed by Manchester World). “He has become a key player due to the injuries of both full-backs. We will try, in Barça’s interest, to ensure that Marcus can continue.” On the one hand, it is promising that the president responsible for bringing Rashford to Spain in the first place is continuing in his position, given the alternative would have made a point not to sign the 28-year-old Englishman. However, the terms of a deal to “ensure that Marcus can continue” are already in place; there is no need to “try” if Barcelona are prepared to pay the £26m buy-clause – which implicitly indicates they will seek to leverage United to strike a cheaper price.  Interestingly, Manchester World believes the financial “compromise” may come from Rashford himself, rather than either club, given their resolute positions. “It is understood Rashford would love to join Barcelona on a full transfer, though the La Liga side are reluctant to pay the fee they previously agreed on, along with his huge wages,” the report details.  “United are adamant they won’t budge on the €30m deal, which they already believe reflects great value for money, and are confident they won’t be short of interest elsewhere if Barca don’t trigger their option to buy. Both clubs want the best deal they can negotiate, and the compromise might have to come from the player’s wage demands, rather than United’s asking price.” Final Thoughts United are intent on being rid of Rashford this summer, even though the main driver of his departure – Ruben Amorim – no longer resides at Old Trafford. This demonstrates it was as much INEOS forcing him through the exit door as the Portuguese coach, with the hierarchy desperate to remove his exorbitant salary from the wage bill. If Barcelona choose not to activate their £26m buy option, there is a strong possibility United could command a better transfer fee from clubs elsewhere in Europe. But Rashford wants to remain in Catalonia, a preference the Spanish giants will be keen to utilise in negotiations. As such, the best-case scenario is simply banking the agreed fee for a player with no future in Manchester and bringing an end to a tiring eighteen-month saga, for both Rashford and his boyhood club. Featured image Alex Caparros via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.