Liverpool star to block Marcus Rashford’s ‘dream’ transfer move from Man Utd

With Ruben Amorim still at the helm at Old Trafford, Rashford’s future at United appears uncertain.

He spent the latter half of the season on loan at Aston Villa after Amorim questioned his training performances and approved his temporary departure in January.

Although Rashford is open to remaining at Villa Park, his ultimate ambition is to join Barcelona, having previously engaged in discussions with the La Liga side earlier in the year.

Barcelona have shown interest in signing him, with United setting a price tag for the transfer. However, the club is also considering Liverpool’s Luis Diaz as an alternative option.

Diaz has been a standout performer for Liverpool, scoring consistently over the past two seasons. Reports suggest he is a serious candidate for Barcelona, creating a dilemma for the Spanish champions.

With financial constraints limiting their ability to sign multiple players, Barcelona will have to decide between Rashford and Diaz as they look to strengthen their attacking options under Hansi Flick.

‘We like Luis and we like Rashford,’ former Barcelona, Chelsea and Portugal midfielder Deco told the Catalan radio station only last week.

‘However, we can’t talk about players who are under contract. For me, it’s much more important to improve what we have at home.’

Diaz made the switch to Liverpool from Porto in 2022 and has since become a key figure for the club, making numerous appearances in their successful campaign.

The Colombian winger played almost every Premier League match this season, contributing to Liverpool’s dominant title-winning run.

Marcus Rashford, on the other hand, has been a long-serving player at Manchester United, having risen through the academy ranks to establish himself as an important member of the squad.

However, after Erik ten Hag’s departure, new manager Ruben Amorim quickly sidelined Rashford, opting to hand the No. 10 shirt to incoming signing Matheus Cunha.

During his loan spell at Aston Villa, Rashford showed glimpses of his talent, but after the season concluded, he hinted that he was unlikely to remain part of Unai Emery’s squad moving forward.

‘Just a message of thanks to everyone here at Villa for what has (injury aside) been an incredible few months for me,’ he posted on social media.

‘It is a really special club and I appreciated the way Villa fans embraced me with open arms from 1st minute on the pitch. Manager, team, and coaching staff have all been brilliant.

‘I know it is a huge disappointment not to have made the Champions League place which everyone worked so hard all season for but I know this club and team will come back stronger.’