‘It feels like home’: Rashford joins Barcelona on loan from Man United

England forward Marcus Rashford said Barcelona was a club where “dreams come true” as he joined the LaLiga champions on Wednesday on a season-long loan from Manchester United with an option to buy.

Media reports said Barcelona would cover Rashford's wages this season after the player accepted a pay cut, with the option to buy set at around €30m (R620m) for the 27-year-old.

“Very excited. I think it's a club where people's dreams come true. They win big prizes. And what the club stands for really means a lot to me as well. So it feels like I am at home,” Rashford said after his unveiling.

“Another factor is because the conversations I had with the manager [Hansi Flick] were positive. What he did last season was terrific.

“To lead such a young team to a very successful season and come back to preseason and still want to do more, it shows me everything I thought I knew about the club and it's everything I wished.”

Once seen as a club icon and home-grown star, Rashford had a dramatic fall from grace at United, marked by a falling out with manager Ruben Amorim that paved the way for him to move to Aston Villa on loan in February.

"[Manchester United] are in a period of change and they have been for a while. I don't have anything bad to say as it has been an important part not just of my career but my life, so I was grateful for the opportunity,” he said.

“But like in life not everything goes as simply as you thought and this is my next chapter and I'm fully focused on improving myself and helping the team win trophies.”

Barcelona said Rashford had signed his contract earlier in the afternoon.

“Rashford can play anywhere in attack. Right footed, he can take players on and is an excellent finisher, talents he can now show in a Barca shirt,” the club said in a statement.

The move came after Manchester-born Rashford, who made 426 senior appearances and scored 138 goals for United in all competitions, fell out of favour with Amorim, who called his work rate into question.

Rashford, who won two FA Cups, two League Cups and a Europa League title with United, joined Aston Villa on loan after Amorim said he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.

United issued a statement wishing Rashford well as they announced the deal with Barcelona.

“Everyone at Manchester United wishes Marcus good luck for the season,” the club said.

The forward, who has scored 17 goals for England in 62 appearances, said he was feeling fitter and better after joining Villa, where he netted two goals in 10 league games, while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.

Rashford said he had wanted to move to Barca during the midseason transfer window when he joined Villa.

“I was clear on my preference [to join Barcelona] from the beginning. Actually from maybe in January. It didn't work out in January so I went to Villa and enjoyed a good period there,” he said.

“It was time to make another decision. My choice was easy. [Barcelona] is a family club, something I'm used to from my past. It feels like home.”

Barcelona are set to play three preseason friendlies in Japan and South Korea starting on July 27. 

Liverpool, meanwhile, have signed French striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, the Premier League side announced on Wednesday, with media reports saying the deal was worth £69m (R1.64bn) plus add-ons.

Ekitike is Liverpool's second-most expensive recruit in the close season after the Premier League champions signed Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz, who can also play as winger or forward, in June for a club record £100m plus add-ons.

Former Paris St Germain player Ekitike had a breakout campaign in 2024-25, scoring 15 Bundesliga goals in 33 appearances. He also struck four times as Frankfurt reached the quarterfinals of the Europa League.

Ekitike, who made his senior debut at Stade de Reims, joined PSG on loan in 2022, making 25 Ligue 1 appearances as they won the French top-flight. He went on loan to Frankfurt in 2023, before making the move permanent a year later.

Reuters