Barcelona consider Benfica star as Marcus Rashford alternative

Barcelona’s plan to turn Marcus Rashford’s loan into a permanent £26 million transfer has hit a financial roadblock, prompting the club to explore cut-price alternatives in Portugal. According to Portuguese publication Record, Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup has emerged as a leading fallback option should the Catalans fail to reconcile the England international’s £325,000-a-week wage demands.

Rashford, 27, has reignited his career at Camp Nou since arriving on a season-long deal, registering ten goals and 13 assists in 39 appearances under Hansi Flick. An optional buy clause, negotiated down from the £40 million fee Aston Villa paid last winter, makes his signature appear a bargain—yet his salary remains prohibitive for a club still constrained by La Liga’s financial regulations.

Enter Schjelderup. The 21-year-old Norwegian has seven goals and four assists in 36 matches for Benfica this term, numbers that pale in comparison to Rashford’s output but represent significant potential at roughly a third of the price. Benfica, open to a summer sale despite the player’s contract running until 2028, are willing to bypass his €100 million release clause and listen to offers around £17.5 million.

The age profile is central to Barcelona’s thinking. Schjelderup’s valuation aligns with those of Real Betis winger Abde Ezzalzouli and Mallorca’s Jan Virgili, both also 21 and available for similar fees. Crucially, all three would command wages only a fraction of Rashford’s, allowing the club to stay within salary limits while injecting youthful depth on the left flank.

With the season nearing its conclusion, Barcelona sporting staff must weigh whether to press ahead with the tried-and-tested Rashford or pivot to a younger, economically viable solution. Until the numbers add up, Rashford’s long-term future—and a possible return to Manchester United—remains on the table.

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