Man Utd ‘STUN’ Barcelona with surprise transfer decision

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has reportedly been left “stunned” by Manchester United’s valuation of Marcus Rashford.

The England international completed a season-long loan move to Camp Nou in July and he has enjoyed an impressive start to life with the Spanish giants, notching three goals and five assists in just 10 appearances.

Widespread reports have confirmed that Barcelona are already eager to trigger the €30 million (£26m) option to buy clause to sign Rashford on a permanent deal next summer and they believe that fee is a bargain.

That is according to The Mirror, who claim that Barcelona president Laporta was “stunned” that Man Utd agreed to let him depart for such a small fee.

In fact, one Barcelona source told The Mirror: “At the top of his game, Marcus Rashford is one of the best players in Europe. Barca have got themselves a genuine bargain. Marcus should be worth more than £60m (€69m) in the current market.”

Injuries to Lamine Yamal and Raphinha have helped Rashford establish himself as an important player under Barca boss Hansi Flick and he has started seven of the Blaugrana’s 10 matches across all competitions so far this term.

Rashford’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently stands at €54.6m, although this has fallen from a peak of €82.7m back in November 2021. However, his recent form has resulted in a small €2.4m value increase over the past month.

Will Marcus Rashford return to Man Utd?

Despite Rashford’s form at Barcelona, his career at Man Utd is expected to permanently end next summer.

The 27-year-old was cast aside by Ruben Amorim following his appointment as Erik ten Hag’s replacement, and reports suggest that Rashford will not return to Old Trafford in 2026 even if the Portuguese tactician is sacked by INEOS.

A permanent move to Barcelona is currently deemed to be the Englishman’s most likely next step, although Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with a move in recent years.

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