Marcus Rashford has officially been unveiled as a new Barcelona player, finding his new home for the year as he starts a season-long loan with the LaLiga champions.
Rashford may not only be there the year though, with Barca having an option to buy for £26 million plus add-ons, retaining the attacker next summer.
United will be hoping that this does in fact go through, with the £40 million option to buy that was included in his loan move to Aston Villa falling through, seeing him return to Carrington this summer.
However, this opened the door for Barcelona to swoop in, landing Rashford his dream move.
Now, the Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has spoken out, having met with super-agent Pini Zahavi to get the deal across the line, about why the Spanish side wanted the United outcast.
Mundo Deportivo has reported that Rashford was Laporta’s priority target, with the Barca president commenting: “I’m very happy because we ended up getting the option I liked the most.”
Going on to explain why Marcus Rashford was his top target, Laporta explained: “We’re very happy because a player of great quality is coming to Barça at a great age, with extraordinary motivation. I’ve personally seen the excitement he has about coming to Barça.”
He continued: “One of his virtues is his sincerity. His dream was to play for United his whole life. He arrived at seven and was born there with an interesting life. He wanted to be a ‘One Club Man’. It’s nice when a player says this with all sincerity.
“But when a situation in his life that he didn’t expect occurs, the team he’s always liked is Barça. He had played against us and Barça was on his radar. He went on loan to Aston Villa to show that he’s the best player ever, the best in England, and he says his greatest motivation is to win the Champions League with Barça and the World Cup with England.
“We have him very motivated. He’s come in strong, he’s very excited, he’s played well with his teammates, and I’m very happy because two years ago he beat us in the Europa League. He made the difference in the tie, and that’s why I’m so happy he came.”
