Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United, remains hopeful of a potential move to Barcelona despite Villa holding a £40 million permanent transfer option. According to The Sun, the 27-year-old forward hasn't abandoned his dream of playing at Camp Nou, even as he aims to impress during his spell at Villa Park.
Barcelona's sporting director Deco has confirmed previous discussions with Rashford in January, though the club wasn't actively seeking new players at that time. The Spanish giants are, however, planning to strengthen their attacking options in the summer, with Mundo Deportivo reporting their search for a versatile left winger who can also operate as a false number 9.
In related transfer news, both Arsenal and Manchester United have shown interest in Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui. The Gunners have already initiated contact with the Italian club, while United has added the 25-year-old to their list of potential targets. The competition for Retegui's signature includes Juventus, Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, and Aston Villa.
Barcelona's summer transfer plans extend beyond their interest in forwards. The club is dealing with Chelsea's reported €100 million interest in Jules Koundé, though the Catalans have no intention of selling the French defender and are preparing to offer him a new contract until 2030. Meanwhile, midfielder Frenkie de Jong has expressed his desire to remain at Barcelona, with his current contract running until 2026.
In other transfer developments, Bayern Munich are pursuing Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, while also working to secure Joshua Kimmich's contract renewal despite interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Manchester City. Ajax are targeting Brighton defenders Tariq Lamptey and Joël Veltman, both of whom will be free agents this summer.
The transfer market continues to buzz with activity as LAFC moves closer to securing Fenerbahce winger Cengiz Ünder on loan, and Portland Timbers finalizes a €6m deal for Lens midfielder David Pereira da Costa. These movements demonstrate the increasingly global nature of football transfers, with clubs across different continents actively pursuing talent to strengthen their squads.
