Rashford

Ivan Toney could be offered a route back to England with Tottenham, Real Madrid are keeping tabs on Declan Rice, and Chelsea enquire about Nico Paz.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank could look to reunite with 29-year-old Al-Ahli and England striker Ivan Toney – who he managed at Brentford – in January. (Talksport), external

Real Madrid’s Brazil forward Rodrygo, 24, is also high on Tottenham’s list of attacking targets. (Teamtalk), external

Arsenal have placed a 150m euro (£132m) valuation on England midfielder Declan Rice, 26, who is admired by Real Madrid. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Chelsea have enquired about Como’s Nico Paz, 21, but face strong competition from Real Madrid, who could look to re-sign the Argentina playmaker. (TBR Football), external

Newcastle are “relaxed” about Sandro Tonali’s comments on his future, and will not begin formal talks about a new contract for the 25-year-old Italy midfielder until later in the season. (Mail Plus – subscription required), external

Newcastle are in talks with Netherlands defender Sven Botman, 25, over a new contract, but Sweden defender Emil Krafth, 31, is drawing interest from FC Copenhagen. (Mail Plus – subscription required), external

Barcelona are planning to open formal talks with Manchester United over a permanent deal for 28-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford. (Teamtalk), external

Napoli could reignite interest in Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 20, in January. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external

Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Leeds, Everton, Barcelona and Real Madrid are among the other clubs interested in Mainoo. (Caught Offside), external

Borussia Dortmund are keen to re-sign England winger Jadon Sancho, 25, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United. (Football Insider), external

Real Madrid are hoping to sign Bayern Munich and France defender Dayot Upamecano, 27, on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season. (Sky Germany – in German), external

Atletico Madrid are keeping tabs on Chelsea’s Spain defender Marc Cucurella, 27, but do not want to move for him until next summer. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Ajax have approached their former manager – and ex-Manchester United boss – Erik ten Hag over a return after suspending head coach John Heitinga. (Fabrizio Romano), external

England international Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan from childhood club Manchester United in July.

Barcelona forward Marcus Rashford says he hopes to remain at the Spanish club beyond his loan spell from Manchester United, describing the move as the change he needed after spending his entire career in England.

Barcelona are covering Rashford’s wages during this season-long loan after the Manchester-born player accepted a pay cut with an option to buy set at about 30 million euros ($35m).

Rashford’s United contract runs through 2028, but his future at Old Trafford appears bleak after falling out with manager Ruben Amorim last year. The 27-year-old has since rediscovered his form under Barcelona coach Hansi Flick.

“For sure,” Rashford told ESPN on Thursday when asked if he wanted to remain in Barcelona. “I’m enjoying this football club, and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour.”

The England international, who first revived his form during a short loan spell at Aston Villa last season, has gone a step further at Barcelona, scoring five goals and providing six assists in 12 appearances across all competitions.

Before what would be his first El Clasico on Sunday, Rashford said his move abroad has given him a new perspective.

“People forget this, but 23 years of my life was with Manchester United. So sometimes you just need a change. I think maybe this is the case with me, and I’m enjoying everything,” he said.

England face Latvia in Riga on Tuesday knowing victory will guarantee qualification for next summer’s World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States.

Rashford, who scored two goals in the Champions League for Barca against Newcastle United, has fallen out of favour at Manchester United and is looking to get his career back on track away from his boyhood club.

In January, manager Ruben Amorim criticised Rashford for not showing the attitude of someone “giving the maximum every day”.

Tuchel pointed out that Rashford is still young enough to make the right decisions in his career “because otherwise, he will be disappointed in 10 years at what could have been and what he made of it”.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has been pleased with Rashford’s efforts so far though, calling him “unbelievable”. The La Liga club has the option of signing him on a permanent basis for £30m in 2026.

“I think the limit for him is very, very high. Maybe higher than for others,” said Tuchel. “He has the potential – but potential is a dangerous word with high-level sports.

“You have to reach your personal best on a regular basis – that is what is demanded on this kind of level, and that is the challenge for him.

“He can be one of the best in the world because the quality I see in training, the finishing with both legs and with the head.

“He is explosive, he is fast, he is strong in the air, so where are the limits?

“There are no limits – but the numbers don’t reach the potential, it is as easy as that.”

Liverpool and Barcelona want Julian Alvarez, Real Madrid remain keen on Arsenal’s William Saliba and Spurs still want to sign Savinho from Manchester City.

Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez, 25, is considering leaving Atletico Madrid next summer, with Liverpool and Barcelona interested in signing the Argentina international. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external)

West Ham’s concerns over Nuno Espirito Santo’s financial demands could open the door for Slaven Bilic to replace Graham Potter, who is clinging on to his job after the Hammers’ poor start to the season. (Guardian, external)

Barcelona want to do a deal with Manchester United to sign on-loan England forward Marcus Rashford, 27, for £26m – a fee short of United’s valuation, which is closer to £35m. (Star, external)

Real Madrid watched Arsenal centre-back William Saliba, 24, in action against Manchester City on Sunday and maintain their interest in signing the France international. (TBR Football, external)

Crystal Palace captain and England centre-back Marc Guehi, 25, is still eager to join Liverpool as a free agent next summer, having nearly signed for the Premier League champions on deadline day. (GiveMeSport, external)

England captain Harry Kane, 32, has a clause in his contract which means the striker could leave Bayern Munich for £56.7m next summer – but only if he announces his intention to depart the German champions before the end of the winter transfer window. (Bild – in German, subscription required, external)

Tottenham retain an interest in Manchester City winger Savinho, 21, and could revisit a potential deal for the Brazil attacker in January. (Teamtalk, external)

Meanwhile, Spurs are prepared to offer up to £35m to sign Real Sociedad’s Spain midfielder Brais Mendez, 28, in January. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external)

Chelsea are monitoring Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, with Leeds United, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon also interested in the versatile 20-year-old. (Football Insider, external)

Manchester United have prioritised a “major goalkeeper signing” next summer. (Sun, external)

England international Marcus Rashford, on loan from Man Utd, scores twice as Barcelona win 2-1 at Newcastle United.

Marcus Rashford scored his first goals for Barcelona as the England forward’s brilliant brace inspired a 2-1 win against Newcastle in the Champions League.

Rashford struck twice in the space of nine minutes in the second half at St James’ Park on Thursday to make a memorable return to England following his loan move from Manchester United in July.

The 27-year-old’s first goals in the Champions League since 2021 will have made for painful viewing for United fans, whose team have no European football this season and are already mired in a dismal start to the Premier League campaign.

Anthony Gordon got one back for Newcastle in the closing stages but it was too late to salvage a point in their Champions League group phase opener.

Rashford fell out of favour with United boss Ruben Amorim last season and was sent on loan to Aston Villa in the second half of the campaign before being exiled to Barcelona for the whole of this term.

Once feted as the future of English football after emerging from United’s youth academy as a precocious teenager, Rashford’s career has dipped badly in recent years amid claims he is no longer focused on his career.

But Rashford’s vibrant performance on Tyneside suggested he could be about to embark on a long-awaited renaissance with Barcelona.

Rashford has often made a habit of tormenting Newcastle, and it was his seventh career goal against the Magpies.

Off to a solid start in La Liga with three wins from four games, Barcelona were without Spain forward Lamine Yamal, who was sidelined for Sunday’s 6-0 victory against Valencia with a groin injury.

But Rashford’s double ensured Yamal wasn’t missed by Hansi Flick’s team.

Beaten by Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League semifinals, Barcelona haven’t reached the final since they last lifted the trophy in 2015.

But the five-time European champions are expected to be among the leading contenders this season, and this was a strong start to their challenge.

The defeat punctured Newcastle’s hopes of making a strong start on their return to the Champions League after they failed to make it out of the group stage in 2023-24.

Newcastle enjoyed one of the greatest nights in their history when Faustino Asprilla’s hat-trick inspired a 3-2 Champions League group stage win against Barcelona in September 1997.

Almost 28 years to the day since that remarkable evening at St James’ Park, Asprilla jetted in from Colombia to watch Newcastle’s first clash with Barcelona since 2003.

Foreshadowing his influential display, Rashford provided Barcelona’s first moment of menace with a burst into the area before shooting into the side-netting.

Newcastle called the shots for much of the first half, and Anthony Elanga’s pace unhinged Barcelona’s defence as he guided a cross towards Harvey Barnes for a fierce strike that Joan Garcia palmed away.

Robert Lewandowski tried to lift Barcelona out of their lethargy, but Fabian Schar and Dan Burn threw themselves into last-ditch blocks to keep the Pole at bay.

Rising to meet a corner, Newcastle midfielder Joelinton glanced a good headed chance wide from six yards early in the second half.

Despite that narrow escape, Barcelona were far more effective after the interval and took the lead in the 58th minute.

Jules Kounde whipped his cross into the area, and Rashford easily eluded Schar to bury a powerful header past Newcastle keeper Nick Pope from 12 yards.

Rashford doubled Barcelona’s advantage in the 67th minute in stunning style.

Taking possession 25 yards from goal, Rashford glided past Sandro Tonali and unleashed a fierce strike that left Pope grasping at thin air as it flashed into the top corner.

Gordon set up a tense finale when he met Jacob Murphy’s low cross with a clinical close-range finish in the 90th minute, but Barcelona held firm.

MARCUS RASHFORD has been given a sweet new nickname by his Barcelona team-mates – but admits he has no idea what it means.

The 27-year-old star opened about the motivation behind his season-long loan move away from Manchester United in a tell-all front page interview with Spanish newspaper Sport.

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Rashford left his boyhood club last month after being frozen out to Ruben Amorim‘s five-man ‘Bomb squad’ alongside Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia.

After finally being registered to play in LaLiga, and making his league debut from the bench in a 3-0 win over Mallorca last Saturday, Rashford now faces the difficult task that all non-Spanish speaking players encounter at Barcelona or Real Madrid – learning the language.

A willingness to pick up Spanish is often essential for getting the fans on side, which could help the club decide to activate their £26million option to buy before next summer’s World Cup in the USA.

And Rashford, who has already scored a pre-season goal, has picked up a bizarre – but comical – new nickname after trying to get to grips with Español.

The England winger told Sport: “When they’re having fun among themselves, they call me ‘sweetie’ [‘chuche’].

“I don’t know what it means, but it’s funny to be spoken to like that.

“But I’m trying to learn Spanish. I think it’s important for me to learn as soon as possible. So it’s stimulating. You’re always learning and that’s good.

“Catalan is difficult. I suppose that while I’m here, I’ll learn a little and hope it will help me understand more about Catalan culture.”

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Rashford later admitted that he escaped Old Trafford to be “happy” after being shunned from the squad in December by Amorim after a clash of personalities.

On why he left United, who he joined at the age of seven, Rashford said: “I need to be happy to play my best football. 

“For me personally, football is my life. It’s been my life since I was very, very young.

“Actually, I don’t know anything else. So the bond I have, not only with my career but with sport in general, is huge and I don’t expect it to go away. 

“But it’s always good to be happy when you play football. It’s the reason I started this.”

Rashford has endured a testing couple of years under former gaffer Erik ten Hag and more recently Amorim, who informed the forward he was no longer part of his plans at the start of the summer transfer window.

A month after arriving from Sporting, Amorim dropped Rashford for United’s 2-1 win at rivals Manchester City on December 15, citing the academy graduate’s inability to adapt to his training methods.

After a fruitful six-month loan stint at Aston Villa, Rashford openly confessed he is now “comfortable” at reigning LaLiga champions Barca as he looks to get back to his very best in front of goal.

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The South Manchester-born star has clearly bonded with his new team-mates, particularly with Lamine Yamal, the youngest Ballon d’Or front-runner, who recently turned 18.

Rashford said: “Lamine is the most talented player I’ve played with at this age. I’ve seen few with the impact he has. 

“Maybe Ronaldo, ‘the phenomenon’. He can already be a Ballon d’Or winner.”

Rashford took a salary cut to join Barca, who have agreed to cover his wages for the next year, but if Hansi Flick‘s club send him back to United in a year’s time, he could be forced to see out the remainder of his contract which expires in 2028.

After Tijjani Reijnders’ impressive debut for Manchester City, BBC Sport looks back at other players who starred in their first Premier League match.

READ MORE: ‘Top signing for coming years’ – all-action Reijnders stars for Man City

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