After weeks of negotiations, Barcelona is finally set to bring in Marcus Rashford. The Catalan club is close to finalizing a season-long loan deal with Manchester United, with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the 27-year-old Rashford will undergo a medical in Barcelona on either Sunday or Monday.
He will then be officially presented as a new Barcelona player on Tuesday.
Rashford is initially joining on loan, but the deal includes a notable clause. As per Sport, Barcelona can secure Rashford permanently next summer for just €35 million.
Given the current transfer market conditions, this amount is not seen as a problem for the Spanish club. Under the agreement, Barcelona will be responsible for paying Rashford’s full salary for the entire season, with Manchester United contributing nothing financially.
However, Rashford himself made the deal easier. He has agreed to take a 30% pay cut from his annual €18 million salary, effectively fulfilling a long-held dream.
Sources indicate that Rashford made it clear he only wanted to move to Barcelona. Though he wasn’t the club’s first choice, Barcelona turned to him quickly after failing to reach a deal for Luis Díaz due to Liverpool’s high asking price.
At Manchester United, Rashford earned around €18 million per year.
At Barcelona, his annual salary will be approximately €10 million.
With just a few weeks left before the start of the new La Liga season, Barcelona is eager to register Rashford as soon as possible. Once registration is complete, he is expected to make his debut in the iconic Blaugrana shirt.
