Marcus Rashford's brother and agent Dwaine Maynard is close to involving Manchester United in possible proposals for the striker's departure, after offering the player to several European clubs in recent weeks.
AC Milan have been the most vocal about their interest in loaning Rashford out until the end of the season, on the condition that a large portion of his wages are paid by United.
Some sources in Manchester believe the 27-year-old's preferred destination is Barcelona, with his camp having explored a move in the past and there has been a push to make a potential deal work.
The Catalan club have resolved their financial dilemma, with president Joan Laporta stating: “We have returned to the 1:1 rule, which allows us to sign players normally and register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor.”
Barça would still need to create room to accommodate a new signing and Ansu Fati is expected to be made available for a transfer, while Ronald Araujo's future is uncertain due to pressure from Juventus.
There could also be a helping hand from Saudi Pro League clubs, who met with Deco to discuss the possibility of luring players from Camp Nou.
Both Milan and Barcelona have star players operating in Rashford's favored position on the left, but the latter are more flexible with Raphinha, who can play through the center and right, than the Italians with Rafael Leao.
There is also a sentiment that Laporta wants to make a high-profile move after what he described as an “apocalyptic story” and “many attempts from outside to destabilize Barca.”
Borussia Dortmund have currently distanced themselves from a potential deal, with Rashford reportedly not being head coach Nuri Sahin's favorite target, according to Sky Germany. Its costs, even subsidized, are marked as beyond their means.
Juventus have now prioritized landing Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain. United, Milan and Tottenham have also made inquiries for the France international and clubs are predicting a knock-on effect with strikers in this window.
According to one executive, the market has “surprisingly opened up favorably for Marcus to get his new challenge, at least from a lending perspective.”
United are awaiting formal offers for Rashford and would like to sweeten the portion of his wages they subsidize by including performance and appearance-related clauses in any deal.
Sky Italy have described Wednesday as a “decisive day” in determining Rashford's future, with Milan considering Barca as their “main opponent in this race for the forward”.
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