Marcus Rashford Sparks Barcelona Transfer Buzz with "Hopefully" Response to Lamine Yamal Praise
Marcus Rashford has expressed his eagerness to team up with Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, coinciding with numerous reports linking him to the Catalan club.
The Manchester United forward hasn't featured for his club since early December after being sidelined by manager Ruben Amorim, and has recently completed a loan spell at Aston Villa where no permanent transfer option was activated.
Currently, Rashford is following a personal fitness regimen in Marbella, located in southern Spain, though he remains ready to return for pre-season training in Manchester should his situation remain unresolved.
During his stay on the Costa del Sol, Rashford granted xBuyer exclusive access for an entire day.
In a feature on the Spanish YouTube platform, which boasts nearly six million followers, Rashford was questioned directly about the possibility of partnering with Yamal on the field.
"Absolutely," he responded. "Every player globally aspires to compete alongside elite talent. We'll have to wait and see what happens.
"It's challenging to describe his achievements in words, as what he's accomplishing shouldn't be possible at his age. He's been performing at the pinnacle since age 16. That itself demonstrates exceptional ability - having such a mindset. What he delivers isn't typical."
Rashford also highlighted Spain's favorable climate and convenient location for family visits from the UK—discussing this in relation to summer training opportunities.
The conversation also touched on his tactical role, which could enhance his value to Barcelona. Throughout his career, Rashford has built his reputation primarily as a wing forward, skilled at drifting inward from the left side. However, this isn't Barcelona's current need, given Raphinha's outstanding recent campaign and Nico Williams' potential arrival from Athletic Club.
Rather, Rashford emphasized his readiness to operate through the middle, an area where Barcelona requires additional options behind Robert Lewandowski, who will be 37 come August.
"Personally, as I've matured, playing as a central striker feels increasingly natural and comfortable," he explained. "Aspects like holding up play with defenders behind me are becoming more instinctive."
Should Rashford make the move to Barcelona, he would mark the first English male player to join the club since Gary Lineker's arrival in 1986. Nevertheless, recent years have seen Toni Duggan, Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze all represent Barcelona Femení.