Marcus Rashford's hopes of signing for Barcelona appear to be as good as over, with the Catalan club reportedly closing in on Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi. The Germany international is due to fly to Barcelona for a medical on Wednesday, according to reports, as the La Liga champions finalise a deal worth around £25 million.
Adeyemi Deal Dashes Rashford's Dream
Barcelona are acquiring Adeyemi for approximately the same amount they could have paid to make Rashford's loan move permanent. The La Liga side did not exercise a £26 million option to sign the Manchester United forward permanently before it expired earlier this summer. Now, they have agreed a £25 million deal with Dortmund for Adeyemi, with £6 million in add-ons, making it an even better value deal.
At his unveiling last summer, Rashford described Barcelona as "a club where dreams come true." However, those dreams now appear shattered as Barcelona move on to other targets. Anthony Gordon has already joined the La Liga champions, and Adeyemi is set to be the final addition to their attacking lineup.
Rashford's World Cup Focus
Rashford has stated he wanted any transfer to be resolved before the World Cup, but that did not happen. He said during the tournament: "I was very clear. I wanted any move to be done before the World Cup. If it's not, I wanted it to wait until after. I want to be fully present in the moment."
England are currently preparing for a World Cup semi-final against Argentina, with the tournament concluding this weekend. Regardless of the result, Rashford will be due to report for pre-season training with Manchester United unless a transfer can be agreed before his extended break ends.
Adeyemi Reunites with Flick
Karim Adeyemi, now 24, is four years younger than Rashford and will reportedly sign a five-year contract with Barcelona. The move reunites him with head coach Hansi Flick, who gave Adeyemi his senior Germany debut while in charge of the national team. Flick brought Adeyemi into the first team as a 19-year-old and handed him his first three caps before taking him to the 2022 World Cup.
Rashford, meanwhile, has two years remaining on his £325,000-per-week contract with Manchester United, which he signed three years ago. His future remains uncertain, but a return to Barcelona now seems highly unlikely.
