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Marcus Rashford has his heart set on a loan move to Barcelona before Monday’s transfer deadline but could take up interest from Aston Villa if a deal with the Catalan club does not go through.
Barcelona need to offload up to two players to bring in Rashford and Villa also want the Manchester United forward on loan after selling Jhon Durán to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. They, like Barcelona, can offer Champions League football after qualifying for the last 16.
Rashford has rejected offers from several other clubs, including Tottenham, because of his determination to join Barça. Under La Liga’s squad cost limit rules they will have to generate funds to spend the money required to sign Rashford. They are prepared in principle to cover most or all of his £365,000-a-week salary. With less than four full days until the window shuts at 11pm GMT on Monday, United hope a player out of favour under Ruben Amorim can secure a transfer.
If Rashford departs, United would be interested in bringing in the versatile Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel, who is also a target for Spurs and Villa, though it is understood he is not inclined to join Spurs.
Before Thursday’s 2-0 Europa League win over FCSB in Bucharest, Amorim indicated there may be a route back into his first-team plans for Rashford should the forward stay.
“You can look at our team and imagine the profile of the players,” the head coach said. “Now imagine a talent like Rashford. Our team should be so much better with Rashford. But he has to change. If he changes, we are more than welcome to put in a talent like Rashford. And we need it.”
Amorim has not selected Rashford since United’s 2-1 win at Viktoria Plzen on 12 December, citing “training reasons”. Two days after being dropped Rashford said he wanted a “new challenge” and he has since been in only one match-day squad, for the 2-0 defeat by Newcastle on 30 December.
Alejandro Garnacho was dropped along with Rashford for the game against Manchester City in December and Amorim is pleased with how the Argentinian forward has responded. Garnacho created Kobbie Mainoo’s goal against FSCB.
Amorim said: “He changed right away since that game against City. The way he understands things and that I just want to help him. He changed in everything: the approach when you talk with him, the way he recovers. He understands that sometimes I am a different coach, that I am demanding in my way and sometimes it is hard … but he understands that it is never in a bad way.”
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The manager is also content regarding Mainoo’s form and denied that the midfielder wanting improved terms and being potentially for sale had been unsettling. “Before, he was always playing. Now, he sometimes plays and sometimes not – he wasn’t comfortable – but maybe it is something to do with that. In that [attacking midfield] position [against FSCB], I feel that he was more happy to play. I felt it watching him. That is important because if they are happy, they play better. I think he can change position.”
Amorim did not deny that Mainoo and Garnacho, as homegrown players, were vulnerable to any realistic offer. “That part is true,” he said. “But I want players like Kobbie and Garnacho. The focus is that we have to improve our academy. To play, to feel the shirt, but also to sell them.”
United are close to sealing a deal to sign the Lecce full-back Patrick Dorgu for about €30m (£25m). Amorim said Tyrell Malacia was not ideally suited to his system as a wing-back “because he’s not so offensive” and that Luke Shaw needed “a little bit more time” to be match ready.
