Barcelona is close to finalizing the signing of English star Marcus Rashford, but the final decision still depends on the player's performance until the end of the season, according to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo."

The newspaper explained that Barcelona has a non-mandatory purchase option to acquire Rashford for 30 million euros, to be paid to Manchester United in three installments, along with a pre-agreement with the player for a three-season contract, with his salary determined since last summer. However, the Catalan club has not yet activated this option, awaiting an evaluation of his performance in the decisive phase.

According to the newspaper, Rashford prefers to decide on his future as soon as possible, while Barcelona insists on being patient to monitor his performance in upcoming matches, especially given the strong competition and the need for decisiveness in the final stages of the season.

The club's coaching staff is closely monitoring the player's performance, as he initially benefited from Raphinha's injuries at the start of the season and played as a starter. However, his roles later shifted between being an impactful substitute or participating to give the Brazilian winger a rest, without yet managing to establish a decisive impact.

Rashford scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists in 38 matches, but his last goal was on January 31 against Elche in La Liga. Since then, he has played several matches in the league, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey without scoring. He was also benched in some games and missed others due to injury.

The newspaper pointed out that the key factor in finalizing the deal is the player's salary and the impact of the contract on the financial fair play rules within Barcelona, which leads the management to tie the final decision to his technical performance for the remainder of the season.

The report confirmed that Rashford has a new opportunity to prove himself, especially after previously scoring two goals against Newcastle in the league stage, which gives him additional motivation to deliver a convincing performance that enhances his chances of continuing at Camp Nou.