Marcus Rashford is a no risk deal for Barcelona

Dubai: For Barcelona, the Nico Williams deal fell through, but they've certainly secured their alternative in Marcus Rashford. The 27-year-old Manchester United outcast, who can play as a wide forward or as a No 9, is joining the Catalan giants on a season long loan with an option to buy for £30 million. This makes it a completely risk-free deal for Barca, as there's no obligation to purchase him.

If Rashford performs well and stays injury-free, Barcelona can choose to buy him, but it's entirely optional. While Barca will cover his wages for the season, journalist Ben Jacobs has reported that the player has taken a salary cut to make this deal happen. However, the highly reliable David Ornstein hasn't mentioned anything about a wage reduction.

Regardless, Barcelona are getting exactly the type of player they've been looking to add. Rashford impressed during his January loan spell at Villa Park but couldn't help Villa secure Champions League qualification after missing the final four crucial games of the season due to a hamstring injury. In Hansi Flick's demanding system, his hamstring will face even greater tests, but he'll be hoping his career can be revitalised under the German manager.

As a Manchester United academy product, Rashford was once destined for greatness, but off-field issues have derailed his progress and made him an outcast at Old Trafford. For United, if he fails to perform at Barcelona, they'll face the same headache of trying to offload him next summer.

However, Rashford will be hungry to prove his doubters wrong. He'll also be eager to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad next summer. I believe he'll thrive under Hansi Flick's guidance.