Marcus Rashford lets slip that long-term Man Utd transfer target at Barcelona learnt English
Marcus Rashford lets slip that long-term Man Utd transfer target at Barcelona learnt EnglishMarcus Rashford has teamed up with Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona three years after Manchester United agreed a fee to sign the Netherlands star, only for the midfielder to refuse a moveMarcus Rashford has teamed up with a former Manchester United target at Barcelona (Image: The Rest Is Football)Marcus Rashford says Frenkie de Jong has been helping him communicate to his new Barcelona team-mates. The former long-time Manchester United target's English-speaking skills were highlighted when Rashford opened up about his experience settling in at Barcelona.The forward was left out of United’s first-team training sessions during pre-season by head coach Ruben Amorim, after a falling out last December led to him being exiled from the squad and sent out on loan to Aston Villa until the end of the 2024/25 season.The England international, 27, finally secured his dream move to Barcelona last month, albeit only on loan until the end of this campaign. Rashford has impressed for his new side in pre-season and appears to be settling in smoothly, registering a goal and two assists in four appearances for the reigning Spanish champions.Man Utd transfer failure could be key to Marcus Rashford avoiding Barcelona nightmare READ MORE:Playing an important role in that process has been none other than Dutch midfielder De Jong, who once upon a time might have ended up at Old Trafford himself.Rashford was asked by Gary Lineker on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast what the main language in the Barcelona dressing room is, having previously been Spanish and Catalan during Lineker’s time with the club in the late-1980s.Rashford began by saying: “It’s still Spanish, a lot of the lads speak Catalan, but the easy thing for me is that a lot of the lads understand English. So I’ve just been picking up on the basics on the pitch, which I think I’ve done quite quickly.”Article continues belowRashford, who used Duolingo to improve his Spanish over the summer and has begun taking in-person lessons since his move to Catalonia, went on to explain De Jong’s role in helping him settle in.He added: “There are good people who are like a bridge. Frenkie [de Jong] speaks really good English, Jules [Kounde] speaks very good English, but they also have good Spanish because they’ve been here a few years.Frenkie de Jong snubbed the Red Devils three summers ago (Image: Getty Images)“But on the pitch, honestly it’s easier than what I thought it would be. Also football overall, I know a lot of people say it, but it’s a language in itself and it’s easy to communicate through the general vibe on the pitch.”De Jong during Erik ten Hag’s stint as United manager was frequently linked with the Red Devils, which may provide one explanation for his excellent English-speaking skills. Talks were reportedly held between the club and player in the summer of 2022 but De Jong was said to be reluctant due to United’s lack of Champions League football and his desire to remain in Barcelona.United and Barcelona reportedly even agreed an initial deal worth around £56million, indicating that the Spanish giants were willing to cash in on the midfielder, only for De Jong to refuse a move and United to bring in Casemiro instead.Article continues belowThe Red Devils’ interest was sporadically mentioned the following year, with loose reports of some reignited interest. De Jong, whose current deal runs until 2026, shut down any further speculation this year by telling Sports Illustrated he hopes to renew his contract until 2029.Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Latest Articles
