Marcus Rashford started brightly at Barcelona, but he hasn’t featured in the club’s last two matches. His absence has stirred speculation in the Spanish media about his future beyond the current campaign.

Marca called it «strange» that coach Hans-Dieter Flick has not used Rashford in recent games. Statistical evidence of a dip in form backs this up: Rashford has three goals and one assist in his last 15 appearances compared to seven goals and eight assists in the previous 20.

Barcelona are also monitoring players like Abde and Virgili, while scouting Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup as potential reinforcements. With Raphinha’s return to fitness and good form, competition for forward positions is stronger, casting uncertainty over Rashford’s place in the squad.

Initially, Rashford appeared set to be a key player for Barcelona, but recent developments suggest his position is less secure. He will hope to get minutes in the upcoming match against Rayo before joining England for international friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.