A €30 million option to buy looks like a bargain, but Marcus Rashford to Barcelona was always destined to fail because of several factors. The more obvious ones are that he doesn’t just solve their troubles.
This assumption isn’t because the winger is without talent, but in a setup where you already have superstars who can produce big moments, the demand is higher. This is especially true when it comes to the margins, where contributions are decisive.
Marcus Rashford has been directly involved in 21 Barcelona goals despite the management of his minutes. However, his impact, especially lately, has not matched the numbers, and that is where the problem lies.
The Mancunian was never Barcelona’s primary target in the summer window, but he needed a couple of games to win fans over, playing himself into their best player status before reality brings everyone back down to earth.
Barcelona are convinced Marcus Rashford should not stay beyond his season-long loan from Manchester United after his recent dip in form, capped off by a wasteful attacking display in the Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid.
On the night the Mancunian became the second English player to attempt 7+ shots in a Champions League knockout match after Wayne Rooney for Manchester United against AC Milan in the 2009-10 round of 16, he left a lot to be desired.
Despite getting four of his shots on target, Rashford failed to take advantage of one of Barcelona’s only two big chances of the match, and it came much earlier, before Pau Cubarsi’s red card later in the first half.
As Thierry Henry pointed out, he should have taken the chance well by placing the ball past the goalkeeper, but he went for power, hitting the ball straight into the body of Juan Musso.
His performance on the night added to growing frustration, and even the fans who once praised him have now turned against the idea of a permanent move, but a certain Manchester United in England have lived it, and knew this would eventually happen all along.
Marcus Rashford at Barcelona: Where did it go wrong?
Marcus Rashford had an explosive start to his time at Barcelona, quickly amassing nine goal contributions in his opening 12 games while appearing as a substitute in many of the games.
His form made fans appreciate the management for choosing to sign him in the summer when they had the money readied to splash on Nico Williams, who turned them down, and then Luis Diaz, who preferred Bayern Munich.
Rashford hit the ground running and made everyone forget he wasn’t their primary choice, especially since the absence of Raphinha due to injuries made him feature in many of the matches earlier in the season.
In one of his best highlights, the Manchester United loanee scored a brace to help Barcelona secure a crucial victory at Newcastle United in round two in the league phase of the Champions League back in September.
Unfortunately, the return of the regular players from injuries has limited his game time and disrupted his form, leaving him with just one goal in his last 10 appearances across all competitions for club and country.
While his numbers are not much of a concern, his inconsistency as a result of poor finishing and lack of responsibility has played a major role in the criticism drawn, but that is just Marcus Rashford in a nutshell.
Marcus Rashford in a nutshell
Talented, and he didn’t fail to show it at Manchester United, but to thrive as a winger, there is just so much more than attacking the ball, and the 28-year-old may be too old to learn that in his trade at this stage of his career.
On the left, Barcelona are used to the relentless pressing of Raphinha, who is one of the best at it in world football, and it was never going to end well having one of the worst players at it in his place.
The demand was always going to mirror what Raphinha delivers, but they are two different players, and Rashford’s defensive failures will always leave the club wanting more, and that, he’ll never be able to deliver.
On a team where 38-year-old Robert Lewandowski was starting, along with Lamine Yamal, it leaves a massive burden on the midfielders and defenders defensively, because the front trio barely contributes off the ball.
Lamine Yamal can hardly be blamed for his defensive shortcomings because he more than compensates with his attacking output, while on that very night, Robert Lewandowski was withdrawn after a silent first half.
But Rashford was never escaping the backlash due to his misses and the outcome of the game, especially since he came into the team in the place of a player who is rarely on the losing side with the club.
This season, Barcelona has lost just twice in 31 games with Raphinha in the side, compared to six defeats in 17 matches without him. These statistics highlight just how much the Brazilian is missed; whenever he is absent, he leaves behind a shoe too big for Marcus Rashford to fill.
Inconsistent, a lack of responsibility, a defensive liability, and a short run of outstanding performances: this is Marcus Rashford in a nutshell. Despite all the hype earlier in the season, it was always going to come down to this.
This isn’t just about Rashford, though. Many players in this Barcelona side have put up great numbers this season but failed to turn up at the crucial moment. Yet, who better to take the fall than a loanee with such a polarizing history?
Despite his lack of regular playtime, Rashford has already contributed to 21 Barcelona goals, just one fewer than Raphinha, who was signed for £58 million, did in his debut season at the club. He just chose the wrong night for his poor finishing, and that may cost him a permanent stay at Barcelona.
By projection, his numbers will get even better, but all his highlighted shortcomings will remain. Yet, you would expect a club of Barcelona’s status to have known this about the player, but for lazy scouting.
Nevertheless, who dares to blame it on lazy scouting when a club has already missed out on their first and second choice signings and has to settle for the third, which comes for free?
Barcelona: Reluctance is in the blood
Manchester United and Barcelona agreed to include a buy option in the deal for Rashford in the summer, but reluctance is in the blood of the Catalan giants, and they are always unlikely to pay the sum of €30 million.
Even if the deal was an utmost success and they were keen on keeping the player, they are most likely to try and negotiate a deal with United that will see them pay less; after all, it is exactly what they are doing with Al Hilal for Joao Cancelo.
What to expect in the summer?
Despite his early success, Marcus Rashford’s prospects of making his Barcelona stay permanent appear increasingly slim as the Catalan giants are reportedly unlikely to trigger the €30 million buy option, preferring to let the forward return to Manchester United this summer.
However, a return to the United squad remains a distant prospect, even with his contract at Old Trafford running until 2028, the onus will be on Rashford to find a new suitor willing to meet United’s valuation. This puts the England international in a difficult position as he searches for a club ready to invest in his long-term future.
For Barcelona, the decision to pass on Rashford shifts the focus back to their summer recruitment strategy. The funds previously earmarked for Nico Williams remain available, making the pursuit of a natural left-winger a distinct possibility once again.
Nevertheless, the club faces a crossroads because should Robert Lewandowski depart, the urgent need for a top-class striker could force a pivot in priorities, potentially sidelining the search for a winger in favor of a marquee striker.
Whether you side with Barcelona or Marcus Rashford in this saga, it is difficult to watch a player who believed they had finally found the perfect stage for their talent see it all crumble so quickly.
After representing teams like Manchester United and Barcelona and approaching your 30s, the reality is that any subsequent move is unlikely to reach such heights again.
But for the present, Marcus Rashford will hope that this will not affect his World Cup chances in a competitive England squad, because the opportunity he earned playing for Barcelona may be taken away for not playing at Barcelona.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
