Should Barcelona choose Jan Virgili over Marcus Rashford this summer?

Barcelona’s Saturday afternoon at Camp Nou ended with three points and a fresh dilemma. After a hard-fought victory over Mallorca kept the Catalans atop La Liga, two wide players left the staff with more to chew on than just the final score: Marcus Rashford, the loanee from Manchester United, and Jan Virgili, the 21-year-old whom Barça sold to Mallorca but never fully relinquished.

Rashford was the standout, directly influencing the win, while Virgili tormented his parent club’s defence and underlined why so many scouts have marked him as one of Spain’s brightest emerging talents. The complication is positional: both operate on the left flank, and both have credible routes to a permanent Camp Nou contract this summer.

For Virgili, Barcelona retain a right of first refusal negotiated when he departed, a clause that would allow them to re-sign the winger at a pre-agreed, cut-rate fee. For Rashford, the mechanism is a €30 million buy option baked into his season-long loan from Old Trafford. Club rules and wage structures make it almost certain only one of the deals can be activated, forcing the technical staff into a straight choice between potential and proven pedigree.

Virgili’s appeal is age and upside. Nine years Rashford’s junior, he has steadily improved on the island, displaying fearless dribbling and creative output that hint at a ceiling well beyond the current level. Handing him the keys would represent a bet on development, a move aligned with Barcelona’s recent strategy of mining La Liga for undervalued Spanish talent.

Rashford, by contrast, offers immediacy. Still in his prime, the England international has produced consistently during his temporary stint, adding pace, press-resistant carrying and end product to a side chasing domestic and European honours. Paying the €30 million fee would lock in a known commodity, someone who has already adapted to the club’s tactical demands and dressing-room culture.

Financial considerations add another layer. Activating Virgili’s buy-back clause would cost a fraction of Rashford’s option, freeing resources for other positions. Yet the club must weigh whether those savings outweigh the guarantee of elite production that Rashford has delivered in real time.

With the transfer window still months away, no final decision has been signalled. The coaching staff have begun internal discussions, factoring in squad age profiles, salary limits and the evolving demands of a title race that could stretch into May. Supporters, meanwhile, are split: some crave the reassurance of Rashford’s star power, others yearn for the romantic narrative of a home-grown prodigal son returning to fulfil his destiny.

When the market opens, Barcelona can only push one button. Choose Virgili and gamble on tomorrow; choose Rashford and invest in today. The answer will shape the club’s attacking identity for years to come.