Manchester United have ‘asked’ Barcelona for one of two players in exchange for Marcus Rashford as a report claims the Red Devils could be open to a compromise to see the back of the England international.
Rashford joined Aston Villa on loan in January after falling out with Ruben Amorim and has rebuilt his reputation in recent months with four goals and six assists for Unai Emery’s side, to the point where his ‘dream’ move to Barcelona is in the offing.
Villa hold a £40m buy option but the decision is Rashford’s, and the 27-year-old is doing everything he can to force a move to the Catalan giants, including a willingness to drastically reduce his current £325,000 per week wages.
A report on Wednesday claimed United have set Barcelona their ‘price’ for Rashford, with an ‘affordable’ €48m (£40.2m) demanded by club chiefs.
United have reportedly ‘made it clear’ that they are ‘no longer considering’ Rashford amid their ‘ongoing divorce’ and they ‘want to sell him permanently’ in a ‘definitive solution’.
Barcelona are said to be ‘very clear on their preference’ as they seek a ‘loan with a buy option’, with it suggested that the Red Devils could be open to a compromise to offload Rashford on ‘advantageous loan terms’ amid their ‘very serious problem with the player’.
Another possible way of getting the deal done would be for Barcelona to send United a player in exchange, and a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes claims their are two players Ruben Amorim ‘likes very much’.
The Portuguese boss believes Ronald Araujo can ‘solve the problems’ in defence despite having ‘been clearly surpassed by Inigo Martínez and Pau Cubarsi, and even by Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen’ at Barcelona.
Previous reports claim the 26-year-old is valued by the La Liga club at €50m [£42m], and both president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco are thought to ‘seriously value the idea of sacrificing’ Aruajo in order to sign Rashford ‘completely free of charge in return’.
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United ‘would also be delighted to exchange Fermin Lopez’, who’s also valued at around the €50m mark, though Hansi Flick is said to be loathe to lose the 22-year-old, who has been in and out of the team for much of the season, but finished the campaign in fine form, with three goals and an assist from midfield in the last four La Liga games.
Meanwhile, Simon Jordan claims Rashford only has himself to blame for not being wanted by his boyhood club.
“Marcus has created the problem by his performances,” Jordan said on talkSPORT. “The only reason people want him out of Man United is because he hasn’t turned up for Man United.
“Otherwise people would be still looking at Marcus Rashford as the poster boy for the best things about Man United, and he isn’t, and that’s because of him, not anybody else.
