Marcus Rashford: He never wanted to leave Man United — Barcelona president makes honest admission about new signing

Marcus Rashford has recently completed the formalities to become a Barcelona player, and the club’s president, Joan Laporta, is excited about their new acquisition. 

The Catalan administrator made the bold claim that Rashford was the best player in England and revealed that the 27-year-old never intended to leave Manchester United. 

Laporta said that Rashford was motivated to show his qualities at Barcelona despite not wanting to leave his boyhood club, Manchester United. 

“We are very happy because a player of great quality is coming, at a great age to come to Barça with extraordinary motivation,” he said. “Personally, I’ve seen how excited he is to come to Barca.

"One of his virtues is that he is sincere. His dream was to play for Manchester United for the rest of his life. He arrived at the age of seven and was born there with an interesting life. 

“He wanted to be a ‘one-club man’. It’s nice for a player to say this with all the sincerity. But when a situation arises in his life that he did not expect, the team he had always liked is Barça.” 

Rashford made a committed effort to join Barcelona. Before going to Aston Villa on loan in January, his representatives made him available to Barcelona, but the Catalan Giants’ finances prevented them from making a move. 

This summer, Barcelona preferred to go for Luis Diaz and Nico Williams. Rashford bided his time, and when Deco could not land either of their initial targets, the England international made himself available, taking a pay cut to join the Blaugrana. 

“He had faced us and had Barça on the radar,” Laporta continued. “He was loaned to Aston Villa so that it could be seen that he is the best player ever, the best in England, and he says that his maximum motivation is to win the Champions League with Barça and the World Cup with England.

"We have him very motivated. He came in strong as a rock; he’s very excited; he’s entered well with his teammates, and I’m very happy because two years ago he beat us in the Europa League. He made the difference in the time, and that’s why I’m very happy that he came.”

Rashford will wear the number 14 jersey at Barcelona, the kit donned by Johan Cruyff and his footballing idol, Thierry Henry. He signed a season-long loan contract, with Barcelona retaining an option to buy for €30 million.