Ansu Fati blocking Rashford's move to Barcelona

Ansu Fati has been absent from Hansi Flick's squad, but refuses to leave the team during the winter transfer window. This is the news that the newspaper ‘Sport’ has on its front page this Monday, in which it states that Barcelona need him to leave in order to free up wage bill and undertake the signing of Marcus Rashford. The English winger is not needed in Ruben Amorim's project at Manchester United.

Just two seasons ago, everything pointed to the Old Trafford youth product, renewed until 2028, as the Red Devils' long-term leader. He has gone on to have some mighty campaigns, such as the 22-23 campaign, in which he scored 30 goals and provided nine assists in 56 appearances, starting 46 of them. Nowadays, however, he has dropped down the pecking order, and has even been involved in controversy, such as a partying spree in the midst of a results crisis.

His counterpart in Barcelona, whose place he would take if he were to leave the Premier League for La Liga, has only taken the pitch eight times this term with one start to his name, the visit of Sevilla on 20th October. It is curious that he is refusing a departure, having already accepted it when, in the summer of 2024, he reached an agreement with the board and Brighton & Hove Albion to work under Roberto de Zerbi's orders.

The latest news that had leaked out about Marcus Rashford dictated that he had given Barcelona 24 hours to make progress or that his agents would seek another destination for him, although it does not appear that progress has been made on either front. Milan, for example, have been forced to choose between signing him or Kyle Walker because of Brexit and have opted, in the absence of official word, for the Manchester City full-back.