It is being suggested that Barcelona are mulling over a move that would see Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford reunited in Catalunya. The Liga giants have already acquired one former Manchester United winger, with a productive loan spell being enjoyed by Rashford in 2025-26, and it is now being claimed that their sights are locked on another who continues to impress at Marseille.
Rashford transfer: Permanent option can be triggered
England international Rashford linked up with Barca over the summer having remained surplus to requirements at Old Trafford. He spent the second-half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, with the talented 27-year-old eager to recover a lost spark.
It is already being suggested that a purchase option in his loan agreement will be triggered in 2026. Rashford has registered three goals and five assists for Barca, with the reigning Liga champions convinced that he can be of benefit to them on a long-term basis.
AdvertisementGettyScouting mission: Barcelona have Greenwood watched
Barcelona are said to be in the market for a couple of forwards heading into and beyond 2026. Veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski is expected to leave as a free agent when his contract expires next summer.
It is considered to be only a matter of time before a deal is done for Rashford, with the potential there for Greenwood to be brought in alongside a familiar face. The former United winger has been starring for Marseille in French football.
He has registered 29 goals through 46 games and earned a share of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 Golden Boot alongside Paris Saint-Germain superstar Ousmane Dembele – a man who has since gone on to claim the Ballon d’Or. Greenwood sits second on the goal charts this term and top of the assist list.
His latest outing saw four goals plundered in a 6-2 win over Le Havre. According to , Barcelona had scouts at that game. They were sent to France under strict instructions to keep a close eye on how Greenwood fared. Positive reports are likely to have been sent back to Spain.
Recruitment radar: Barca tracking Greenwood since Getafe loan
It is claimed that Greenwood is “a player that Barca have followed since his loan stint at fellow La Liga side Getafe”. The 24-year-old earned Player of the Year honours there after recording 10 goals in the 2023-24 campaign.
Getafe president Angel Torres was later asked about whether the likes of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona were sniffing around Greenwood. He said: “No one from Atleti has asked me about Greenwood. I spoke with Miguel Angel (Gil), but about other things. The only one who asked me in that sense about the player was Joan Laporta, but first you have to sell to sign, this is the problem of Spanish football.”
Barcelona are said to have considered an approach for Greenwood in the summer of 2024, before seeing him head to Stade Velodrome in a £27 million ($36m) transfer. He has remained on their radar ever since.
Scouting missions continue to be deployed, with Marseille aware of the interest that their No.10 is generating. Roberto De Zerbi has spoken on a regular basis of what Greenwood needs to do in order to become world-class.
When using one current Barca star as an example to Greenwood, he said: “I showed him footage of Raphinha. He had a great game, he even made a run in the second half and got fouled. You have to do that in every game, not just one in five. When he runs, everyone follows him.”
GettyMan Utd will benefit from any deals for Rashford & Greenwood
While waiting to discover whether they will benefit financially from a deal for Rashford, United will also be keeping a close eye on Greenwood’s situation. They included a 50 per cent sell-on clause in the agreement that took another product of their academy system to France.
Greenwood is, however, not the only forward that Barca are monitoring, with it also being reported that World Cup-winning Argentina international Julian Alvarez – who continues to star in La Liga for Atletico Madrid – is another player on their wish list.