Marcus Rashford receives Spanish media verdict after Barcelona switch ‘agreed’
Marcus Rashford made his return from injury for Barcelona in their 4-1 win over Villarreal after reports intensified that the England star is set to complete a permanent transfer from Manchester United
Marcus Rashford is set to join Barcelona permanently in the summer(Image: Judit Cartiel, Getty Images)
Marcus Rashford returned from injury for Barcelona in their emphatic 4-1 triumph over Villarreal. Facing La Liga’s fourth-placed side at home on Saturday, Hansi Flick’s team produced a brilliant performance in what represented the German’s 100th game in charge of the Spanish champions.
The match was dominated by Lamine Yamal’s first career hat-trick, with Robert Lewandowski adding a fourth in stoppage time. Starting the game on the bench, Rashford came on in the 73rd minute, replacing Raphinha in his first outing since picking up a knee injury against Mallorca last month.
The Manchester United loanee’s return to the pitch coincided with new reports about his footballing future. According to Spanish outlet Sport, the La Liga leaders have struck a deal to sign the 28-year-old permanently, ready to activate their clause to buy Rashford for £26million (€30million).
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The report also claims the winger has enabled the transfer by drastically cutting his current wages of more than £300,000-a-week, with an agreement between Rashford and Barca over his salary now finalised.
With 23 goals and assists under his belt this season, the opportunity to add to that tally remains for Rashford, who earned comparable praise from the Spanish media after his energetic substitute appearance against Villarreal.
Sport
Following his return to full fitness, the English forward saw over 17 minutes of play in the win that secured a four-point lead over Real Madrid. Carlos Monfort of Sport gave Rashford a match rating of six out of 10, applauding his ability to create threats on the pitch from nowhere.
Monfort also pointed out that Rashford’s knack for turning a game around is a key reason why Barcelona are reportedly close to finalising a deal to keep him at the Camp Nou permanently. He said: “He is capable of creating danger even when there is none, and this ability to unbalance the game explains why Barca is committed to keeping him permanently.”
Football Espana
The match rating of six was a common score amongst Spanish media outlets, with Football Espana also giving Rashford the same grade. The match was already decided by the time the England star came on, but he didn’t manage to contribute a goal or assist in his brief appearance.
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They wrote: “Tried his best to make a difference late on, but it wasn’t to be.”
Mundo Deportivo
Even without contributing a goal, Rashford still has the capacity to make an impact on a game, and that’s exactly what Xavier Muñoz of Mundo Deportivo emphasised in the home fixture against Villarreal.
Muñoz highlighted Rashford’s powerful right foot and excellent movement as key aspects of his display during his short cameo, noting: “He played for just over a quarter of an hour but made his presence felt with some intentional runs and his well-known foot when taking corners.”
Tribuna
For most strikers, time on the field without adding to the scoresheet could be viewed as a disappointing showing. Yet that’s not the situation for Rashford, who has earned praise for his appearance against the Yellow Submarine from various media sources, including Tribuna.
Whilst the bulk of the acclaim was saved for hat-trick hero Yamal, Rashford was awarded a respectable rating of six out of 10, with Oleksii Yani observing: “Active but no decisive contributions.”
