Barcelona choose Rashford signing on unfavourable terms for Man Utd after Liverpool, Diaz dead end

Barcelona director Deco believes signing Liverpool’s Luis Diaz is a superior move to Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, though why the club are now advancing on a deal for the latter has come to light.

Barcelona are desperate to add a versatile forward to their ranks who is capable of playing on the left wing and up front. The club have drafted a lengthy shortlist, but the two headline-grabbing names from a Premier League perspective are Luis Diaz and Marcus Rashford.

Both are left wingers by trade, but both have proven their worth when deputising up top this season. Diaz did so on numerous occasions for the EPL winners in the second half of the season. Many of Rashford’s outings during his impressive loan spell with Aston Villa came in the striker position.

Villa have neglected to take up their £40m option to buy Rashford after missing out on Champions League qualification.

Rashford will be returned to Old Trafford, though not for long with Fabrizio Romano confirming he’ll immediately be made available for sale for the same £40m asking price.

Barcelona have taken a close look at both Rashford and Diaz and according to Mundo Deportivo, it’s Diaz who they believe represents the superior option.

The report claimed director Deco believes Diaz can make an instant impact and the official is smitten with Diaz’s competitiveness, physicality and tenacity.

However, despite suggestions Diaz would be more than willing to leave Anfield for the Camp Nou, it’s then stated Liverpool have slapped a prohibitive €70m-€80m price tag on the Colombian.

That is a range well beyond Barca’s meagre means and if Liverpool stick to their guns, it all but ends the chances of a deal being struck.

As such, separate reports from SPORT reporter, Toni Juanmarti, claim it’s now full steam ahead for Rashford.

The United star’s agent was recently spotted in Barcelona conducting a meeting with Deco. Barca will be asked to pay £40m to sign the player outright, with Man Utd putting great emphasis on a permanent sale.

As a homegrown player, the proceeds from Rashford’s sale will be logged as ‘pure profit’ on the books and significantly enhance United’s spending power.

That is vitally important for United this summer given the club failed to qualify for the Champions League and secure the guaranteed income that would have provided.

But there’s depressing news for the Red Devils, with Juanmarti stating Barcelona’s intention is to offer a loan that contains an option to buy.

That method of transfer would contribute virtually nothing to United’s efforts to complete a much needed squad rebuild right now.

Signing with Barcelona is Rashford’s dream scenario and per the reporter, he is willing to take a substantial pay-cut on his £325,000-a-week wages to help seal a deal.

But as stated, the bigger issue lays between the clubs, with Barcelona unwilling or perhaps even unable to meet United’s demands for a permanent transfer.

Latest Liverpool & Man Utd news – Wirtz hijack? / Man Utd striker miss

In other news, AS claim Real Madrid could yet spring the shock of all shocks and hijack Liverpool’s swoop for Florian Wirtz.

The German superstar has already agreed personal terms with Liverpool who have sent their first official bid to Bayer Leverkusen.

Nonetheless, Real Madrid intend to play their trump card of Xabi Alonso to help steer a deal to the Bernabeu.

Elsewhere, Man Utd are set to pay the price for missing out on UCL qualification by losing out to Chelsea for Liam Delap.

Delap is expected to choose between those two clubs when determining his future and the Ipswich Town frontman is expected to prioritise the team with European football.

Man Utd will not participate in European football next season, while Chelsea will grace the Champions League.

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