Reports suggesting Barcelona were preparing to cut short Marcus Rashford’s loan have been strongly denied by respected journalist Guillem Balague.
Speculation had grown after Spanish outlet El Nacional claimed the La Liga champions were unimpressed with Rashford’s early performances and were considering sending him back to Manchester United.
The alleged decision could have cost the Catalan side around £4 million in compensation.
However, Balague dismissed the claims as unfounded.
“Absolutely rubbish,” he wrote on social media, stressing that Barcelona remain fully behind the England forward despite his slow start in Spain.
The journalist revealed that Barcelona had given clear assurances to Rashford’s representatives.
According to Balague, the club is not losing faith in the attacker.
“Barca told his representative that they have a lot of confidence in Rashford’s potential and that they believe he will recover as a top player,” Balague explained.
“No more to say, apart from the fact I agree with Gary Lineker and his treatment by some media.”
The statement provides a much-needed boost for Rashford, who has endured a quiet beginning to life in La Liga.
So far, he has featured in just three league matches under Hansi Flick, with only one start, against Levante.
That appearance ended at half-time when he was substituted.
Rashford joined Barcelona in the summer after falling out of favour at Manchester United.
New manager Ruben Amorim had placed him among the so-called “bomb squad,” a group of players excluded from the first-team picture.
Therefore, the move to Spain was seen as a chance for the forward to revive his career.
Despite early struggles, it appears Barcelona are not ready to give up on him.
Moreover, Balague’s comments suggest that the club sees Rashford as a long-term project rather than a quick fix.
Meanwhile, the coming months will be crucial for the forward as he looks to prove himself in Spain.
While rumours of an early exit have been labelled baseless, Rashford now faces the challenge of repaying Barcelona’s confidence in him.
