Rashford’s Impact at Barcelona and Manchester United’s Financial Struggles

omidbasir- Hansi Flick’s Barcelona is reportedly responsible for covering the entirety of Marcus Rashford’s weekly wages, which amount to £315,000. The 28-year-old has demonstrated his value to the Catalan giants, contributing 10 goals and 13 assists across 34 appearances this season. Current indications strongly suggest that Barcelona will exercise their option to permanently sign Rashford, even if it requires meeting his full asking price.

Manchester United appears to be perplexed by conflicting reports about their willingness to negotiate Rashford’s exit fee. Despite this confusion, the English club is eager to part ways with the academy graduate and eliminate his wages from their financial obligations. The Red Devils anticipate saving over £600,000 per week with the departures of Casemiro and Jadon Sancho, both set to leave when their contracts expire in June. Compounding their uncertainty, captain Bruno Fernandes’ future at the club remains uncertain. While Harry Maguire is still with United, it is expected that he will be offered a reduced salary should he choose to extend his contract instead of leaving as a free agent.

Last season, Manchester United missed out on European football entirely, finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League and losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final, which consequently denied them participation in the Champions League. As the club prepares to release its second-quarter financial results in the coming week, the implications of losing approximately £100 million ($136 million) in Champions League revenue will be made evident to fans.

The total debt of the club stands at around £1.29 billion ($1.7 billion). In recent months, the Red Devils have incurred penalties related to sponsorship agreements, as well as a £10 million ($14 million) payout to former head coach Ruben Amorim. Interim manager Michael Carrick, while not on an extravagant salary, does have a bonus clause in his contract that rewards him should he lead United back to European competition by the end of the season.

Currently, Manchester United holds fourth place in the Premier League, just one point ahead of Chelsea. They will not return to action until Monday night, when they are scheduled to face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.