Marcus Rashford's hopes of securing a move to Barcelona may still be revived, with Ferran Torres believed to be keen on a switch to Paris Saint-Germain. Luis Enrique's side are expected to table a formal bid to the La Liga giants next week, having already reached an agreement on personal terms with the former Manchester City forward.
Torres' Stellar Year
It has been a remarkable 12 months for Torres, with a string of honours secured, including the World Cup, with the 26-year-old scoring the decisive goal in the final. Despite contributing meaningfully at the Nou Camp, he was unable to command a regular starting berth, which may well explain his desire for a fresh challenge.
Rashford and Torres were occasionally fielded together, though the Spaniard largely played second fiddle to Robert Lewandowski, while the Manchester United loanee deputised for Raphinha during his spell on the sidelines.
Competition for Places
Persistent fitness concerns for the Brazilian and Lewandowski's exit on a free transfer prompted Barca to bring in Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon, a development that seemingly eliminated Rashford's prospects of a permanent switch. However, with these new recruits now competing directly with Torres for a place in the side, the winger may be feeling increasingly marginalised.
Head coach Hansi Flick also appeared receptive to his departure when quizzed about his future following a 1-0 pre-season victory over Nottingham Forest. He said: "I respect all the players, I don't know anything about the situation at the moment. I was focused on the team, and I don't know anything."
United's Pre-Season Plans
Just hours before the match, Manchester United played out a 1-1 draw against Torres' potential future club PSG. Rashford played no part, still enjoying his post-World Cup break. Michael Carrick did, however, confirm that he and two others would be joining the club's pre-season camp in the coming days as preparations begin ahead of fixtures against Leeds United and AC Milan.
The United head coach said: "We have got a full squad this week in Dublin. We fly straight there and have a few days where we have the whole group back together. Marcus is part of that, and Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martinez]. We look forward to seeing them."
Future Prospects
Rashford currently appears more likely to stay at Old Trafford, though a Torres departure could certainly alter the picture. Barcelona seem more preoccupied with a potential deal for Rodri at present, but may soon find themselves turning their attention to further attacking reinforcements.
Julian Alvarez is thought to rank higher on their wishlist than Rashford, with Barcelona pursuing him aggressively ahead of the World Cup. He is understood to remain keen on leaving Atletico Madrid, but Diego Simeone's outfit have no plans to negotiate with Barcelona unless his astronomical £428.5m release clause is triggered.
