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Goodbye Nico Williams and Hello Rashford: The Earthquake Shaking up Barça's Market

You go to Manchester and I go to Barcelona. The three-way deal that's cooking.

Since the arrival of Portuguese Rúben Amorim to the bench at Old Trafford, Manchester United is a different team and so is Rashford.

There's still a lot to do. Ten Hag's departure left the Reds in a critical position. But Amorim has managed to turn the situation around, as reflected in the recent victory against City in the local classic.

Soccer players from two teams compete for the ball in a match.
Laporta tries to convince Frenkie De Jong and Araújo to go to Manchester City in exchange for Rashford | Getty Images

Rashford is Already Packing His Bags

United is still down: thirteenth, with 6 wins and 6 losses. 14 points behind the leader Liverpool.

There's a lot to do but the first decisions of the Portuguese coach were controversial. For the classic with City, he didn't draft Rashford or Garnacho but the result was favorable.

Marcus Rashford, undoubtedly the team's biggest star, hasn't taken it well at all. So much so, that he's already started packing his bags to leave Old Trafford, as he explained in an interview.

"I'm Ready for a New Challenge"

-"I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps. When I leave, there won't be any hard feelings. There won't be any negative comments from me about Manchester United."

-"If I know a situation is already bad, I'm not going to make it worse. I've seen how other players have left in the past and I don't want to be that person. When I leave, I'll make a statement and it'll be from my side."

-"It's disheartening to be left out of a classic, but it happened. We won the game, so let's move on. It's disappointing, but I'm also someone who, as I get older, can deal with setbacks."

A Manchester United soccer player celebrates a goal by jumping in the air during a match in a stadium full of spectators.
Marcus Rashford already knows what it's like to score at Camp Nou | Getty Images

-"What am I going to do about it? Sit there and cry about it or do my best the next time I'm available?"

-"I'm halfway through my career. I don't expect my peak to be now. I've been in the Premier League for nine years so far. That's taught me a lot, helped me grow as a player and as a person."

"I don't regret anything from the last nine years. I take things day by day and sometimes bad things happen, sometimes good things happen. I just try to maintain a delicate balance."

Rashford has raised the possibility of leaving Manchester United and the foundations of Old Trafford have shaken. And at Camp Nou, there has been applause.

Barça Has Marcus Rashford on the Radar

Barça has Marcus Rashford in its sights. It's willing to negotiate with Manchester United for his departure at zero cost. Araújo and Frenkie De Jongto Old Trafford, and Rashford to Camp Nou. 

A soccer player in a red and white uniform runs while another player in a yellow uniform tries to intercept the ball in a stadium full of spectators.
Rashford has faced Barça many times in European competitions | Getty Images

That's the operation proposed by Joan Laporta, which leaves Nico Williams out of the blaugrana equation. Curiously, the Athletic forward is Manchester United's main target to replace Rashford. The pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

We're looking at the major operation that could take shape in the winter market. Four top-level players and three clubs are affected.