Marcus Rashford is reportedly on the verge of a loan move to Barcelona, with the Manchester United forward having already traveled to Catalonia to finalize the deal. An agreement in principle is said to be in place between the two clubs for the 27-year-old.

Rashford's potential move to Barcelona has been rumored for some time, with the player himself expressing a desire to play for the Catalan club. He reportedly targeted Barcelona as his ideal destination as early as January. Recent reports suggest that Rashford's patience has paid off, as he is now close to securing his move to the Spanish giants.

Barcelona's head coach, Hansi Flick, has reportedly given the green light for the transfer after speaking with Rashford. Flick envisions Rashford as an option on the left side of their 4-3-3 formation and as a backup to veteran center-forward Robert Lewandowski.

The deal is expected to be a season-long loan with an option to buy. While Manchester United were initially seeking a straight transfer, they have agreed to the loan deal on the condition that Barcelona covers Rashford's wages in full. To facilitate the move, Rashford is reportedly taking a significant pay cut, with some sources suggesting a 25% reduction in his salary. Barcelona will pay €14m gross as salary coverage plus bonuses linked to appearances.

Despite the apparent progress in negotiations, Barcelona's well-documented financial struggles could present a hurdle. The club is still working to comply with La Liga's financial fair play rules, and they may need to finalize certain financial arrangements before Rashford can be officially registered.

Rashford's departure from Manchester United comes after a somewhat turbulent period at the club. After spending the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, where he scored four goals and provided six assists in 17 appearances, Rashford has not returned to training with the rest of the Manchester United squad. He was also not included in their first pre-season fixture. It is believed that new manager Ruben Amorim deemed Rashford surplus to requirements, which prompted the player to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Manchester United are keen to offload unwanted players to fund a major squad overhaul. Getting Rashford's wages off their bill will provide some relief, as he is reportedly paid £325,000-a-week on a contract until June 2028.