Due to Lewandowski showing signs of aging, Barcelona needs to find a suitable center forward rotation or a qualified central attacking player. Considering Barcelona's limited budget, obtaining Rashford through a loan might be a good solution. If this transfer is completed, it has the potential to benefit Barcelona, Manchester United, and Rashford in the next six months.
Lewandowski's value at Barcelona extends beyond scoring goals; he also contributes significantly through his frequent withdrawals, ball control, and link-up play. Rashford possesses some ability to withdraw into midfield, although he does not typically occupy the central position, often positioning himself closer to the midfield flanks or even the wings.
However, one crucial aspect is that Rashford performs well with long passes and ball distribution after withdrawing, and he can quickly return to the front line. This makes Rashford a tactically reasonable choice as a rotational option for Lewandowski.
There is an issue, though: Rashford is reluctant to participate in defense. He has low efficiency in high pressing and often stands still when tracking back on the flanks.
This makes it challenging for Rashford to play as Barcelona's winger or as the central striker for the full 90 minutes (without high pressing, dribbling can lead to easy turnovers). He is more likely to be used as a substitute.
It's worth noting that in recent matches, Lewandowski is often substituted around the 60-70-minute mark, which has become Flick's standard practice. This provides Rashford with stable playing time and a defined role as a late-game substitute.
Another important point is that Rashford's value lies in his ability to create opportunities through individual bursts of speed and dribbling. As a late-game substitute, the game opens up, offering more scoring chances.
Rashford's characteristics align well with Flick's requirements. In terms of dribbling skills and speed bursts, Rashford is clearly superior to Ferran Torres.
Even when Lewandowski is absent, Barcelona could consider starting Ferran Torres and having Rashford ready to enter after 60 minutes. Alternatively, Rashford could start and be substituted at halftime.
Currently, Rashford is in a situation where he hardly gets any playing time at Manchester United, having gone a month without a match.
A half-year loan to Barcelona could be pivotal if Rashford becomes a key force in Barcelona's title pursuit or delivers surprises in certain games. This could also benefit Rashford in securing better terms with a new club in the future or enable Manchester United to receive a higher transfer fee.
Such a triple-win outcome is something everyone would like to see.
Although Barcelona has restored the 1-to-1 fair competition standard, the team's actual available transfer funds remain limited. By loaning Rashford and having Manchester United cover most of his wages, Barcelona can acquire a forward attacker at minimal cost.
Whether it's selling Araujo or Garcia later, it could bring in new signings for other positions, giving Flick more flexibility in squad selection for the second half of the season.