Fenerbahce release Marcus Rashford transfer statement as Barcelona set-back occurs

Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce have clarified their stance on a transfer for Marcus Rashford amid the player suffering a fresh blow to his Barcelona dream.

Manchester United are pushing for Marcus Rashford to go out on loan in January after the 27-year-old admitted he is ready for a new challenge.

Once the driving force of United’s attack, Rashford enjoyed his peak in the 2022/23 season, scoring an impressive 30 goals under Erik ten Hag. However, his form has since dipped, and under Rúben Amorim, he has fallen out of favour. Amad and Bruno Fernandes have established themselves as key players, while Rashford has not featured in United’s last six matches.

Rashford’s connection with the club spans nearly two decades, beginning with his electrifying debut at 18. He announced himself with two goals against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League and followed it up with another brace against Arsenal in the Premier League.

United are reportedly ready to send Rashford out on loan in January, with a permanent move expected in the summer. His departure now seems inevitable, closing a memorable chapter at Old Trafford as he prepares for a fresh start elsewhere.

Fenerbahce statement on Rashford interest

In recent days, Rashford has been linked with a number of Turkish sides, with former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær having taken over at Besiktas.

Another club linked to the winger is Fenerbahce, but their vice president, Acun Ilicali, has explained that they will likely not be pursuing a move.

“Actually, yesterday it was in the news that we are interested in him. I think Rashford is a fantastic player, I really like him,” Ilicali told Sky Sports.

“But at the end of the day, when you have some players in your team [who play in the same role] it is not logical to get two players in the same position which are much better than other players.

“What I will say is that these types of players need to play, play, play. If he comes, then one of our players wouldn’t be able to play. When it came in front of us, unfortunately we said no for this transfer.

“There is nothing that we are interested in him. Of course, there are some rumours that spread. I can say very comfortably that we are not interested, but he is a good player.”

Rashford suffers Barcelona transfer blow

Many reports have detailed that Rashford’s ideal transfer destination this month is Barcelona, with the La Liga giants keen on securing him.

Read More: Paul Scholes calls for Manchester United star to be “banished” from Rúben Amorim’s dressing room

However, with Rashford earning over £300,000 a week, the Catalan club are unable to fit him in their wage structure, meaning they would need to offload someone in order to bring Rashford in on loan.

However, one of the players Barcelona have previously been looking offload is defender Andreas Christensen, who has played only once this season and has been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

A club statement from Barcelona read: “The first team player Andreas Christensen suffered an injury to his right calf in Monday’s training session. The defender will be out of action for around three weeks.”

With Christensen not available until after the window closes, it’s unlikely that he will be able to be moved on this month, which is a blow to Rashford’s hopes of playing for Barcelona.

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