Manchester United are reportedly eyeing Everton star Iliman Ndiaye as a possible replacement for Marcus Rashford ahead of the summer transfer window.

Rashford joined Barcelona on a season-long loan deal as United splashed out in the region of £200million to overhaul their misfiring attack with the addition of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko last summer.

In that time, Rashford has made a total of 37 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish champions, chipping in with a respectable tally of ten goals and 13 assists.

Fierce competition for places means Rashford is yet to establish himself as a nailed-on member of Hansi Flick’s XI when everyone is fit. However, 14 of the forward’s 23 league games have come as starts this term.

Rashford is still yet to provide any assurances over his plans beyond the summer and the England international’s resurgence in La Liga has only intensified talk and speculation surrounding his long-term future.

However, according to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona are now ‘finally convinced’ by Rashford’s worth and the club’s hierarchy are actively looking to sign the 28-year-old on a permanent deal.

It’s claimed the Catalan giants are ‘already working’ on exercising a €30million (£26m) option in their deal to sign Rashford outright at the end of the season.

The United academy graduate is said to ‘feel comfortable’ in Barcelona, telling those in his inner circle that he would be keen to continue his career at the Camp Nou.

Michael Carrick had been been ‘counting on’ the idea of having Rashford at his disposal should he still be in charge of United next season – but the forward’s stance means the club have been forced to consider alternative options in the transfer market.

The report claims Yan Diomande is one of the many attackers on United’s shortlist having caught the club’s attention with his speed and dribbling ability across a phenomenal debut season with RB Leipzig.

Como’s Jesus Rodriguez, Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola and Strasbourg’s Martial Godo are also named as players in the thoughts of key decision-makers at Old Trafford.

Closer to home, United are believed to be keeping tabs on Ndiaye’s situation, a player who would need no time to adjust to the Premier League after two outstanding years with Everton.

In a mid-table Everton team, Ndiaye has racked up five goals and three assists in the English top flight this season.

The 26-year-old also enjoyed success at international level at the start of this year, playing an instrumental role as Pape Thiaw’s conquering Senegal side won the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations.

Everton stand to make a tidy profit should they decide to cash in on Ndiaye in the summer having signed the winger for a fee of just £16million from Marseille back in 2024.

Ndiaye has three-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

In a recent interview with AceOdds.com, ex-United striker Louis Saha encouraged his former club to explore a move for Ndiaye, who he described as a ‘mix of Amad and Mbeumo’.

‘Ndiaye, from the moment he signed, he’s been an amazing talent. I would love to see him, maybe at some point at Manchester United, to be honest,’ Saha explained.

‘He’s a very skillful player. I like Ndiaye’s style. Like Mbeumo, he’s comfortable with the ball.

‘His work rate is very good… he’s a bit like a mix of Amad and Mbeumo to be honest.’

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Barcelona will complete the €30 million (£26.3m) signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United at the earliest opportunity, according to reports in Spain.

Rashford was allowed to join Barcelona on loan last summer after he was frozen out of United’s first-team squad by Ruben Amorim.

The 28-year-old has impressed at Barca this season with 10 goals and 13 assists in 34 appearances so far.

Last month, reports had claimed that Barca were weighing up whether to negotiate the €30m (£26.3m) option to buy fee with United.

Michael Carrick, who replaced Amorim as United’s manager until the end of the season, is also understood to be keen on offering Rashford a way back at Old Trafford if he is kept on beyond the current campaign.

However, Mundo Deportivo report that Barcelona have now agreed with United to pay the €30m (£26.3m) option in €10m (£8.7m) instalments.

The report adds that Barca have also agreed personal terms with Rashford to remain at the club beyond this season.

After securing a deal to sign Rashford from United on loan, Barca’s sporting director, Deco, told The Times: ‘Marcus is a fantastic player. He faced the responsibility of becoming an important player at Man United — United, like us, are one of the biggest clubs in the world — too young. He suffered a bit with this change of generation at United too.

‘If you see United in the last five years, they had difficulties rebuilding the team, to become stronger again. He was there. So it’s not easy for a player [from whom] people demand a lot. When you are an important player, you have a lot of responsibility.

‘We were looking for a player like him on the market. A player that could play in the three positions up front. We were able to sign Marcus on loan now because of his desire to play for Barcelona. He waited a lot. He knew that we were dealing with financial rules. But he was patient. He waited and we’re happy to have him.’

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Barcelona have held further talks with Marcus Rashford’s representatives over a permanent transfer from Manchester United.

Rashford joined the Catalan giants on a season-long loan last summer, rediscovering the form that had deserted him back in Manchester in recent seasons.

Having also forced his way back into the England team, the 28-year-old has a respectable return of 10 goals and 13 assists under Hansi Flick this term, adapting well to life at the Camp Nou.

His loan deal includes the option to make the move permanent for €30million (£26m). While Michael Carrick is thought to be keen to bring Rashford back to Old Trafford if he is handed the permanent job at the end of the season, the forward has no desire to return to his parent club.

Barcelona are also keen to keep him at the club, but there has been no final decision over the arrangement.

According to Marca, talks took place on Tuesday between sporting director Deco and Rashford’s agents. While the forward’s future wasn’t the only topic discussed, both parties reiterated their desire to extend his stay.

On their side, Barcelona will attempt to negotiate a fee lower than the €30m agreed but are aware United will stand firm on that price.

Rashford meanwhile is happy to stay on but the report does note he would like to play a more prominent role in the starting XI.

He has started 14 of Barcelona’s 25 La Liga outings this term with four starts from eight in the Champions League this season. The vast majority of those have come in his favoured role on the left with Raphinha picking up injuries this season.

While positive, the meeting did not resolve any long-term plans with a final meeting to decide Rashford’s future to take place in the coming months.  

Rashford’s future in Barcelona could be further complicated by presidential elections.

Xavier Vilajoana is one of four candidates vying for the role occupied by Joan Laporta with the election at the Camp Nou to take place on 15 March.

He has already boldly vowed to sign Harry Kane from Bayern Munich but also suggested last week plans for Rashford could be reevaluated.

The presidential hopeful has instead suggested the club look ‘in-house’ to bolster their attacking options, naming the club’s former youth player Jan Virgili, now of Mallorca, as one alternative option.

‘I am someone who believes you should always look in-house first, as I’ve always said, and then look outside depending on the characteristics of the players you have,” Vilajoana told ESPN of the possibility of paying Rashford’s clause.

‘For example, I want to give the example of Jan Virgili, who is currently playing for Mallorca. He’s a great winger.

‘I would maybe look at [exercising the clause to re-sign him] as an option, for example, rather than paying the Rashford clause.

‘That said, it’s not just the president who arrives and makes the decision. The president arrives, puts things on the table, alternatives are considered, it’s discussed and a decision is made.

‘What I am clear on is that if [signing Rashford] is considered to be the best decision from a sporting point of view, the money will be there to make it happen.’

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