Barcelona sporting director gives verdict on Marcus Rashford move
Barcelona sporting director Deco claimed that the Spanish giants are prioritising contract renewals before considering any new recruits when quizzed on the club's interest in Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford.
The Catalan giants are one of numerous European clubs to have been linked with a move for the out-of-favour forward. While AC Milan's interest has cooled and Rashford's desire to join Bundesliga strugglers Borussia Dortmund has been questioned, Barcelona have been framed as the England international's "dream" destination.
Reports emerged earlier this month that Barcelona were lining up a bid for Rashford, yet Deco has been keen to play down any transfer speculation.
Shortly before Barcelona took on Benfica in their penultimate league phase match of the Champions League first round on Tuesday, Deco was asked about a Lisbon meeting he had with Arturo Canales, Manchester United's intermediary regarding any move for Rashford. "We are on the subject of [financial] fair play," Deco told Movistar, "arranging it, if in the end we can reinforce the team, we will try, but today there is nothing."
Deco stressed that Barcelona's first priority was ensuring that they do not breach La Liga's strict financial regulations. The club have already had to appeal to the Spanish government to secure emergency (and temporary) registrations for Dani Olmo and Pau Victor this season.
Barcelona are also actively negotiating new contracts for several first-team players, which will put more pressure on the club's fragile economic situation.
"These are fair play issues, and the priorities today are the renewals of the important players we have in the squad," Deco declared. "Once this is over, we can focus on one reinforcement or another, but it is not something that the manager has asked us for."
The latest reports in the British media suggest that Rashford is keen to stay at Old Trafford and fight for his place. Ruben Amorim hasn't given the 27-year-old a single minute of first-team football since mid-December, but the boyhood United fan is said to be undertaking extra training sessions in search of a way back in to the head coach's plans.
