Former Manchester United star Gordon Strachan has declared that Marcus Rashford's successful loan spell at Barcelona has proven the club made the correct decision in allowing him to leave Old Trafford.
Impressive Form in Catalonia
The England international has rediscovered his best form since joining the La Liga giants on a season-long loan during the summer transfer window. Under manager Hansi Flick, Rashford has delivered six goals and nine assists across just 16 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona.
United included a buy-option clause in the loan agreement valued at approximately £28 million, giving Barcelona the opportunity to make the move permanent next year. Rashford has already expressed his desire to remain in Catalonia long-term, though whether the Spanish club will meet the asking price remains uncertain.
Strachan's Dressing Room Assessment
Strachan believes the transfer has worked out perfectly for all parties involved, telling ESports News: "Marcus Rashford was very good for England last week, but I maintain that Manchester United were right to part way with him. The time was right for both parties to move on, and it's been proven to have been the right decision."
The former United star highlighted how the move has spared current manager Ruben Amorim an additional dilemma in the changing room. "Rashford was struggling at United and it seemed as if he didn't have Ruben Amorim's full confidence," Strachan explained.
"He wasn't getting a lot of game time, but in the minutes that he did play, I think it's fair to say he didn't prove the doubters wrong. I'm glad to see him finding success at Barcelona. Everyone has said all along that he's a talented player - that's never been in doubt."
From United Bench to Barcelona Starter
Rashford's departure from Manchester United came after he found himself increasingly marginalised under Amorim's management. The Portuguese head coach arrived at Old Trafford in November last year, and the forward subsequently completed a loan move to Aston Villa in February before his Barcelona switch.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has been vocal about Rashford's importance to his squad, recently stating: "When you see the chances he has, one or two goals more will be good, also for him. But we can be happy with him, of course. I am very happy with him. He can play on this level and I am happy he shows it, for the fans and for the club, and also for the teammates he is a very important player."
Strachan concluded that the arrangement has ultimately benefited Rashford's career while allowing Manchester United to progress without what he described as "a dilemma in the dressing room." The forward's resurgence in Spain appears to have justified the difficult decision to part ways for both club and player.
