According to reports, there are ‘alarm bells’ at FC Barcelona over Manchester United outcast Marcus Rashford as they fear he is the ‘new Joao Felix’.
Rashford secured his dream move to the Spanish giants this summer, joining Hansi Flick’s side from Man Utd on loan with an option to buy.
Barcelona were linked with Rashford after he announced his intention to leave Man Utd ahead of the winter transfer window, but they did not sanction the deal due to his huge salary and poor form over 18 months.
Instead, the England international spent the end of the 2024/25 season on loan at Aston Villa and he returned to form under Unai Emery, grabbing four goals and six assists in all competitions.
This made Rashford a more tempting option for clubs and he attracted more interest this summer before he joined Barcelona.
The La Liga holders turned to Rashford after missing out on Luis Diaz and Nico Williams as a new winger was a priority for Flick, while the Man Utd outcast’s versatility was another positive.
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Rashford made his competitive debut for Barcelona as his new side beat Mallorca 3-0 at the weekend. He replaced former Man City star Ferran Torres and featured for around 20 minutes.
His move to Barcelona already appears to have split opinion, with a report in Spain claiming there is a ‘fear’ in the ‘locker room’ that he is the ‘new Felix’ amid two concerns.
The report claimed:
‘Alarm bells are starting to ring in the locker room: some fear he could become a new Joao Félix case.
‘A talented player with an exquisite left foot, but who ended up leaving without making a mark due to his lack of commitment and consistency on the pitch.’
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Speaking on The Rest is Football, Rashford explained why he thinks Man Utd have struggled since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.
“When Ferguson was in charge, not only were there principles for the first team but they were for the whole academy,” Rashford said.
“So you could pick players from 15 years, a full generation, and they’d all understand the principles of playing the Manchester United way.”
He added: “People say we’ve been in a transition for years. To be in a transition, you have to start the transition. So it’s like the actual transition’s not started yet.
“You see it with any team that’s been successful over a period of time — they have principles that any coach that comes in, any player that comes in, has to align to these principles or be able to add to these principles.
“Whereas at times I feel like United have just been … We’re hungry to win, so we’ll always try to adapt and to sign players that fit this system. But it’s reactionary.”
