Barcelona are set to try and bring in a forward on the left side of their attack this summer, although there is little certainty on whom they will pursue. At the start of 2026, it seemed almost certain that Marcus Rashford’s loan deal would be made permanent, but their decision on his future has increasingly been cast into doubt.
The Catalan side can execute a buy option for Rashford for €30m this summer, but it has been rumoured that they could be tempted to move for a cheaper or younger option. Sport say that Barcelona will meet with his agent and his brother shortly, which could cast further light on his situation. Alternatively, the likes of Andreas Schjelderup, Ez Abde and Jan Virgili in the meantime.
🚨 FC Barcelona will do a pre-season stage at St. Georges' Park, the facilities of the English Football Federation near Birmingham. [@ffpolo]
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 8, 2026
According to Corriere della Sella, as quoted by the Catalan paper, Barcelona have been offered the chance to sign AC Milan’s Rafael Leao this summer. The Portuguese forward has fallen out of favour at San Siro, and they will look to move him on this summer, bearing in mind that his contract is up in 2028. His price could be as low as €50m though, which could interest the Blaugrana.
When Barcelona were pursuing Nico Williams two summers back, Barcelona were heavily linked with Leao. The 26-year-old has links with agent Jorge Mendes, who is frequently at the centre of Barcelona’s transfer dealings. President Joan Laporta also seemingly has a soft spot for Leao.
With his price tag at the time rising towards €100m, Leao was deemed too expensive, while Director of Football Deco, reportedly had doubts about his defensive work-rate. This season Leao has 10 goals and two assists in 25 appearances for the Rossoneri this year, managing just 20 starts all year.
