Chelsea have been given a potential green light to pursue a deal for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, according to former Chelsea defender William Gallas. Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona, where he registered 25 goal contributions in 49 appearances, but the Catalan club opted against activating a €30 million option-to-buy clause.
Barcelona subsequently signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for €80 million, seemingly ending Rashford’s chances of a permanent move to Camp Nou. While Rashford reportedly remains keen on joining Hansi Flick’s side, alternative options are now being explored, particularly after his participation in the World Cup. Manchester United are also prepared to finalise a permanent transfer for the England international this summer, despite the recent managerial change with the appointment of Michael Carrick.
Gallas believes Rashford would be a better fit at Chelsea than at Arsenal, praising his performance during his loan spell at Barcelona and suggesting his style of play aligns well with Chelsea’s system. He stated his surprise at Barcelona’s decision not to sign Rashford permanently, speaking to talkSPORT via Football.London.
Chelsea currently have a number of wingers in their squad, including Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens, Geovany Quenda, Estevao Willian, and Pedro Neto, but the club are reportedly still seeking to add another forward this summer. With Arsenal also showing interest in Morgan Rogers, a move for Rashford could prove to be a sensible option. Reports indicate Rashford has a €46 million (£40m) release clause in his Manchester United contract, making him a potentially cost-effective solution to bolster Chelsea’s attacking options. Xabi Alonso will begin his tenure as Chelsea manager on July 1st, and could be the one to make a final decision on pursuing Rashford.
