Here's a scenario that would've sounded absurd six months ago: Bradley Barcola in a Manchester United shirt. Yet according to multiple sources, including Caught Offside and Football Insider, PSG have genuinely explored using the 23-year-old France international as bait to lure Marcus Rashford away from Barcelona.
Let's be clear about something first. This isn't your typical January rumour mill noise. The Parisians have tracked Rashford for years — Luis Campos has long admired his profile — and with the England forward finding his feet at Camp Nou (7 goals, 11 assists in 27 games), they've decided to get creative.
The numbers behind the noise
Barcola's 2025-26 campaign hasn't quite matched last season's fireworks. After racking up a ridiculous 42 goal contributions across all competitions, he's currently sitting on 5 goals and just 2 assists in Ligue 1. The spark hasn't vanished entirely, but Luis Enrique's rotation — and the arrivals of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué — has squeezed his minutes.
Former Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness put it bluntly on Football Insider's podcast: "PSG are claiming to be coming in here, and there could be some sort of player swap deal with Bradley Barcola, which makes sense, I think, for United. He's a lot younger — about 23 — and if they were to get Rashford and a player swap, that would suit United more than releasing him at the pretty low level that Barcelona had got."
Why this probably won't happen
There's a major problem: Rashford doesn't want to go anywhere. Multiple reports, including from Fabrizio Romano, confirm Barcelona have already communicated their intention to keep him. The man himself told Spanish outlet SPORT in December: "What I want is to stay at Barça. It's the ultimate goal."
And then there's Luis Enrique's stance on Barcola. Speaking before PSG's Club World Cup quarter-final against Bayern last summer, the Spaniard was emphatic: "I have no doubt he'll remain our player. He's one of those young players we've been banking on. I expect him to play here for many more years."
Still, football has a funny way of making the impossible happen. Barcelona are trying to renegotiate Rashford's €30m buy option downward. PSG have reportedly set aside €50m should they decide to pursue him. And United, now under Michael Carrick's interim stewardship, desperately need a natural left-winger.
The Carrick factor
Timing matters here. Carrick was confirmed as head coach just yesterday, inheriting a squad seventh in the Premier League and out of both domestic cups. His 4-2-3-1 system — a departure from Amorim's 3-4-2-1 — demands wide players who can beat defenders one-on-one. Matheus Cunha, signed from Wolves last summer, prefers central positions.
Barcola's profile fits like a glove: lightning pace, elite dribbling, proven in big games. The Lyon-born winger contributed to PSG's treble last season and featured in France's Euro 2024 squad. At 23, his ceiling remains absurdly high.
But United would need to add serious cash to any swap — Transfermarkt values Barcola at €70m (£61m), while Rashford sits at €40m. And that's assuming PSG actually want to sell, which every indication suggests they don't.
So where does this leave us?
Realistically? Probably nowhere. Rashford stays at Barcelona, activates his buy clause, and continues rebuilding his reputation in La Liga. Barcola battles through his mid-season slump and regains his starting spot when fully fit.
But keep an eye on this one. United's transfer strategy under INEOS has been anything but predictable, and if Barcelona's financial situation forces them to walk away from Rashford, the dominos could fall in unexpected directions. Stranger things have happened at Old Trafford — just ask anyone who watched the last two years unfold.
