Should Barcelona try to bring Ez Abde back in place of Marcus Rashford?

Barcelona are weighing up a summer swoop for former winger Ez Abde as doubts grow over the long-term future of loanee Marcus Rashford, sources have told ESPN.

Abde, who left Camp Nou for Real Betis in 2023, has emerged as a shock candidate to reinforce the Catalan attack after a productive season in Seville in which he has registered eight goals and seven assists. Barça retained a 20% sell-on clause when they sanctioned his €7.5 million move 18 months ago and would still benefit financially should the 22-year-old be sold again.

Club scouts believe the Morocco international “perfectly fits” the profile currently sought by the recruitment department: raw pace, direct dribbling and the capacity to unsettle defenders in one-v-one situations. His familiarity with the club’s tactical demands, honed during his previous spell with the B team and first-team squad, is viewed as an added advantage.

The interest in Abde has intensified amid continued uncertainty surrounding Rashford. The England forward arrived on a straight loan in January with an option to buy fixed at €30 million, yet Barça are reluctant to meet that valuation. Negotiations over a second temporary deal have stalled, with Manchester United unwilling to sanction another loan and confident of attracting alternative suitors should the Catalans walk away.

With La Liga and Champions League qualification on the line in the coming weeks, sporting chiefs are already mapping out budget-friendly reinforcements. Abde’s potential availability, coupled with his reasonable price tag and existing buy-back percentage, makes him an attractive proposition.

Whether Barcelona ultimately pivot to their former prodigy or explore other targets will depend on how the Rashford situation resolves, but Abde’s name is now firmly on the club’s summer shortlist.