Rashford is set to spend the season at Camp Nou after Barca struck a loan agreement with United, which includes a purchase option. ..Continue Reading
The 27-year-old made his first appearance against Vissel Kobe and has since featured for 45 minutes in friendlies versus FC Seoul and Daegu, scoring in the latter match against the Korean top-flight side.
However, Rashford might miss Barcelona’s La Liga opener as he has yet to be officially registered.
The club has faced ongoing challenges in registering new players, including 2024 summer signing Dani Olmo, due to financial constraints and ongoing disputes with La Liga.
In the meantime, Rashford has been working on his fitness and sharpness ahead of the new season.
Initial reports suggested that Rashford would primarily be deployed on the left wing once eligible to play.
But according to Spanish outlet *AS*, Flick has been so impressed by Rashford’s training displays that he now intends to use him as a central striker as well.
Robert Lewandowski remains Barca’s main option up front, but the squad lacks depth behind the 36-year-old veteran.
Lewandowski is set to miss the upcoming Joan Gamper Trophy match against Como due to a hamstring issue, with Rashford expected to step in.
Ferran Torres has typically filled in as striker when Lewandowski is sidelined, but uncertainty surrounds his future, with Mundo Deportivo reporting that contract negotiations have been paused.
Back in May, sporting director Deco stated on El Món a RAC1 that the club had no plans to pursue a traditional striker in the transfer market.
“Talking about a striker only seems like looking for a replacement for Robert. But today, you have a team that has a fixed ‘9’, which is Inter, with [Marcus] Thuram.
“PSG don’t have one. Arsenal don’t have one [prior to signing Viktor Gyokeres]. Today we have one, which is Lewandowski. And there are players in the squad who can play there, like Ferran, who has had a spectacular season.”
