Deco meets 28-year-old winger’s agent in Saudi Arabia to discuss future

In a breaking report, SPORT bring to light that Barcelona’s sporting director Deco has met with Marcus Rashford’s agent in Jeddah today.

The meeting regarding the English winger’s future took place at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, the same place where the team are currently residing for the Spanish Super Cup and the topic of discussion was the purchase clause in Rashford’s contract.

As has been relayed in recent weeks, Barcelona are pleased with the player’s attitude, integration and contributions and are seriously considering triggering the €30 million purchase clause at the end of the season.

All positive signs

Rashford has done well at Barcelona so far. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Deco’s meeting with Rashford’s agent earlier today was informal in nature and primarily meant to inform the player’s entourage of the club’s decision to likely trigger the clause.

Barcelona value how the player has adapted to life in Spain, mingling with both the English-speaking and non-English-speaking crowds in the dressing room, and placed the team’s interests above his own.

The decision is still not certain and the club prefer to wait until the end of the season to take a clear stance. As of the most recent meeting, however, all signs point to the player having a future at the club beyond this season.

Since arriving at the club, the former Manchester United star has scored nine goals and provided seven assists, numbers that cannot be ignored by any measure.

Further, he has gladly accepted a bench role after Raphinha’s return and is more than happy to take his chances when they come, exhibiting great professionalism.

The one argument against Rashford’s continuity that still lingers, however, is his slow adaptation to the team’s pressing structure and link-up play – something he has shown to possess the aptitude for in bouts.

Should the player improve in those respects, signing him permanently would make far more sense both from a sporting and economic sense.