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Barcelona have signed Marcus Rashford on a season’s loan from Manchester United with an option to buy. The forward joins after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim at his boyhood club.
“I’m very excited,” Rashford said in remarks to the Spanish club’s own media. “I think it’s a club where people’s dreams come true and they win big prizes. And what the club stands for really means a lot to me as well. It feels like home and this is a big factor in my choice to come here. For me it’s a family club and people are comfortable here, it’s a good place for good players to showcase their skills.”
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Rashford was one of five United players made to train away from Amorim’s squad this summer. The England international, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, has been training at a gym in Salford and at United’s Carrington base, although only after first-team players have left.
The 27-year-old has three years remaining on a £325,000-a-week contract at Old Trafford. Barcelona said he would become the 10th man to play for them and United, after Mark Hughes, Laurent Blanc, Henrik Larsson, Jordi Cruyff, Gerard Piqué, Víctor Valdés, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Sánchez and Memphis Depay.
“The player has signed his contract as a Barça player this afternoon in at a private meeting in the presence of the FC Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, the director of the football area and other board members,” Barcelona said in a statement.
“I’m definitely full of excitement and I’m just hungry to go out there and help this team win,” Rashford added. “They won so much last year year and I can see the ambition of the club is to do even better, and as a player that’s what you want. It keeps you improving year on year and that’s what you need to be the best version of yourself. I’m excited to be here and I’m eager to get going.”
Rashford has spent 20 years at United, scoring 138 goals in 426 appearances for the club, but has not featured since being dropped by Amorim for the Manchester derby last December. He said later that month that he was ready for a new challenge. “Everyone at Manchester United wishes Marcus good luck for the season,” United said in a statement.
