Rio Ferdinand calls Marcus Rashford's potential £26m transfer to Barcelona an 'absolute robbery' & says he'd '100 percent' have rejuvenated forward back at Man Utd

Ferdinand suggests that United would be making a significant mistake by letting a player of Rashford's calibre leave for such a low amount.

"If Barcelona get him for the reported £26m that we’re talking about and they get that version of Marcus Rashford, that is an absolute robbery, it’s a steal," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel. "I just say good luck to him, I want him to do well, because I’ve seen him grow as a young player at United and good luck to him in that sense."

Despite his admiration for the 28-year-old, Ferdinand admits the forward’s time in Manchester is likely over. When asked if he would take the United academy graduate back at Old Trafford, he said: "Absolutely! Would you have that Marcus Rashford back? 100 per cent, but I think that ship has sailed. Potentially he’s that good, it’s just that we haven’t seen it for a while at United."

Rashford himself appears to be enjoying the weight of expectation in Spain, as he recently told Sport: "Barcelona is a fantastic club. A club that is known for winning, and it’s this type of pressure – I want to say pressure but it’s not a bad type of pressure. It’s a pressure that you look forward to and a pressure that I want to have whilst I’m playing football. If I’m at a club that doesn’t demand these things then it’s more difficult for me to be motivated. It’s a fantastic environment for me to continue my football journey."

This season, Rashford has scored 11 goals and provided 13 assists in 40 appearances across all competitions for Barca. After winning the Spanish Super Cup earlier this year, he will be looking to help the Catalans secure another two titles: La Liga and the Champions League. Hansi Flick's side currently sit atop the league table, seven points clear of nearest rivals Real Madrid. They next face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, before taking on Espanyol in the Catalan derby this weekend.

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