Atletico Madrid have launched an audacious bid to sign a top Barcelona star in a move that could shake up La Liga.
The forward, thriving with 18 goal contributions in 23 appearances despite reduced starts after key returns, faces uncertainty as Hansi Flick prioritizes tactical fits like Raphinha in his high-pressing system.
Barcelona holds a €30m buy option but balks at the wage bill impact, creating an opening for rivals to swoop in summer while the player craves a starring role over bench duty.
That explosive talent is Marcus Rashford, the 28-year-old Englishman loaned from Manchester United, whose verticality and pace align perfectly with Simeone’s counter-attacking blueprint at the Metropolitano, as reported by Fichajes.
Atletico Madrid have initiated contacts with United to gauge the exit fee—likely mirroring Barça’s clause—capitalizing on Ruben Amorim’s rejection of him in his Old Trafford rebuild, preferring non-Premier sales to avoid strengthening rivals.
Rashford, sidelined post-Aston Villa loan, views staying in Spain as ideal, rejecting Arsenal or PSG temptations for Simeone’s guaranteed prominence.
The Colchoneros see Rashford as transformative, adding lethal width to complement Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann in their top-four chase and European push.
Barcelona’s Joan Laporta doubts the financial fit despite Rashford’s form, potentially flipping him in a swap for Álvarez as rumored earlier.
Simeone has urged President Enrique Cerezo to prioritize this, according to the British press, with Atletico Madrid plotting salary engineering to seal the deal without fair-play breaches.
Rashford’s Camp Nou stint—marked by improved pressing yet short of Flick’s demands—ends June 30 unless extended, positioning Madrid as the frontrunner for his redemption arc.
This intra-La Liga raid could ignite transfer fireworks, elevating Atlético’s ceiling while exposing Barcelona’s squad dilemmas.
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