Marcus Rashford 'agreed' to join Barca in 2017-18 season but pulled out shortly: Report

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford had reportedly agreed to join Spanish giants Barcelona in 2018. However, he backed out at the last moment because he feared he might not fit at Camp Nou alongside the likes of Lionel Messi. The England international went on to pen down a new deal that binds him at Old Trafford until 2023. 

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Barcelona offered to sign Marcus Rashford in 2017

According to a report by Spanish sports publication Mundo Deportivo, the Lionel Messi-led Barcelona first made the move for Rashford at the start of the 2017-18 season. The Catalan giants were on the hunt for a long-term replacement for striker Luis Suarez and a player to partner Lionel Messi upfront. Barcelona identified the Man United striker as the ideal replacement. Rashford had made headlines back then for his impressive form with the first team. 

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Marcus Rashford pulls back from Barcelona transfer

The report suggests that Rashford was excited about playing alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona at first. However, the striker decided to pull back at the last minute considering the fact that he was not ready yet to join a new team as well as shift to a new country with a different lifestyle altogether. Hence, he decided to extend his stay at Man United and has since emerged as one of the prominent players at Old Trafford. 

Marcus Rashford leads goal-scoring charts

Rashford has been in an astounding form for the Red Devils this season. He is the club's leading goalscorer this term with 19 goals and 6 assists in 31 games across all competitions. The striker sustained a back injury mid-season but has now recovered completely to be fit in time for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when Man United return to play after months of lockdown.

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Marcus Rashford stats, Premier League points table

Rashford is in his fifth season at the club. The 22-year-old has managed 201 appearances for the Old Trafford outfit, with 64 goals to his credit. His side are placed fifth on the Premier League points table as they look to secure a place in the top four to qualify for the Champions League next season. Solskjaer's men have bagged 45 points in 29 games, while Liverpool lead the charts with 82 points.

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