United on the verge of closing first summer deal as FC Barcelona greenlight £26m purchase

Manchester United appear to be closing in on their first deal of the summer, with Marcus Rashford emerging as the first player set to make a move. Having spent the season on loan at FC Barcelona, it appears that the England international is enjoying life in Spain, producing some fine performances as he completes a smooth adjustment to La Liga. This seems to have increased Barca’s interest in keeping him at the Camp Nou, with a new deal reportedly in the works. Rashford’s fiery form Rashford produced an assist to lift Barcelona to a 2-1 away win over Albacete last night. This is just the latest in a string of impressive performances, with Rashford scoring four goals and providing six assists in 20 La Liga matches. (Sofascore) In fact, Barca manager Hansi Flick has such faith in Rashford, that he claimed that the Englishman has even more to deliver despite already exhibiting great form this season. Appearances20 Started12 Minutes per game59 Total minutes played1183 Team of the week1 Goals4 Expected goals (xG)5.48 Scoring frequency (in minutes)296min Goals per game0.2 Total shots2.8 Shots on target per game1.0 Assists6 Expected assists (xA)3.47 Touches41.2 Big chances created5 Key passes1.6 With this form in mind, Barcelona have already opened talks with Manchester United over signing Rashford permanently if a new update proves accurate. Rashford’s transfer plan, revealed Contained in Rashford’s current loan deal with Barcelona is an option to buy for €30 million (£26 million). Although it was previously claimed by some outlets that the Spanish giants were reluctant to pay this sum, instead looking for a reduced fee, it now appears that this is not the case after all. “A recent report from Spanish publication Marca appeared to dismiss those suggestions, indicating the club is now prepared to trigger the clause and secure him permanently for £26 million,” Express relayed. “Encouragingly for all concerned, Rashford is equally enthusiastic about the switch.” While Rashford has been a loyal servant of Manchester United for years, it appears as if his days at Old Trafford are behind him. The player seems to have rediscovered both his form and happiness in Spain, suggesting that a permanent move is perhaps what is necessary. 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 Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.