Marcus Rashford's hopes of securing a permanent move to Barcelona from Manchester United are hanging in the balance as the Spanish club grapples with severe financial constraints. The Catalan giants hold an option to buy the 28-year-old England forward for £26m this summer, following his season-long loan spell, but are struggling to raise the funds.
Barcelona's financial woes have been laid bare by the ongoing renovation of the Nou Camp, which has overrun its £1.25billion budget. A loan from Goldman Sachs has proved insufficient, and the club is expected to request a credit limit increase at an Extraordinary General Assembly in July or at the next ordinary meeting before the start of next season. The incomplete stadium work has already restricted capacity to under 63,000.
The club's hesitancy to pay the full option fee for Rashford has opened the door for other suitors, including Bayern Munich, who are willing to meet United's asking price but not the player's current wages. However, reports from Spain indicate that Rashford has no desire to join Vincent Kompany's side and is not entertaining approaches from rival clubs.
Barcelona have until June 15 to exercise the purchase option, but with the club reportedly 'running out of money' for the Nou Camp project, a permanent deal looks increasingly unlikely. United are keen to sell the forward permanently, rather than extend his loan for another season, which Barcelona are believed to be considering as an alternative.
For now, Rashford's focus remains on the World Cup and England's final pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday. His dream of a permanent move to Barcelona could yet be shattered if the club cannot resolve its financial difficulties in time.
