Barcelona Ready to Walk Away From Rashford as Deco Questions Summer Gamble

Barcelona are preparing to end their interest in Marcus Rashford as sporting director Deco begins to question the wisdom of bringing the Manchester United forward to the Camp Nou on loan last summer.

The Red Devils allowed Rashford to depart Old Trafford in a season-long loan arrangement, with the England international's move to Catalonia initially generating optimism about a potential permanent switch. A €30m buyout clause was written into the terms, setting the stage for a summer decision point.

Yet negotiations between the two clubs have stalled significantly. United remain unmoved on their valuation, while Barcelona have been pushing for either a second loan spell or a renegotiated fee. Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany revealed that talks continue, with Barcelona keen to avoid triggering the buyout option entirely. Hansi Flick has approved keeping Rashford on the books, and the player himself has already agreed fresh terms, yet the impasse persists.

Ben Jacobs reported that despite mutual interest from the player's perspective, Manchester United show no signs of compromising on their €30m figure. Barcelona have explored other targets and are now genuinely considering pulling the plug altogether.

Spanish reports suggest Deco is reconsidering his approach. Having watched Luis Diaz shine in Bayern Munich's thrilling 5-4 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain this week, the sporting director has reportedly concluded that Rashford was the wrong choice over the Colombian winger, who was Barcelona's original target before that deal fell through.

Rashford's loan spell has produced moments of quality, but consistency has eluded him. Diaz's reliability in crucial matches stands in sharp contrast to Rashford's more erratic performances, leaving Deco to rue what many are now viewing as a misguided gamble.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have emerged as potential suitors should they retain their Premier League status, offering Rashford an alternative route away from Old Trafford if Barcelona's interest truly evaporates.