Transfer Roundup: Rashford on the verge of joining Barcelona on loan from United | OneFootball

This week has proved to be an enthralling one for football fans with Marcus Rashford planning his great escape to Barcelona from Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United.

The Portuguese manager is hoping for the completion of Bryan Mbeumo’s transfer, as the Cameroonian is set for his £71m move to the club.

Hugo Ekitike is also set to join Liverpool for up to £79m following Newcastle’s previously rejected bid.

Here are the top ten transfer news stories over the past week.

1. Marcus Rashford to Barcelona from Manchester United

Marcus Rashford travelled to Spain on Sunday to complete his medical after Barcelona and Manchester United reached an agreement in principle for a loan move.

United permitted Rashford to complete his year-long loan to the Spanish side, with an obligation to buy for around £30m.

The 27-year-old Englishman quickly fell out of favour with Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese manager claimed in January he would rather put 63-year-old coach Jorge Vital “before a player that don’t give their maximum every day”.

A loan move to Aston Villa in the January transfer window seemed to be the remedy, with Rashford contributing 10 goals and assists in just 17 appearances in all competitions. He could become the first Englishman to play for Barcelona since Gary Lineker in 1989.

2. Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United from Brentford

Bryan Mbeumo arrived at Carrington for his medical on Sunday ahead of his £71m transfer to Manchester United.

The Red Devils reached an agreement with Brentford over the signing of Mbeumo on Friday. The Cameroonian now looks set to join the club on a five-year deal with an option for a one-year extension.

The package guarantees the London club a fee of £65m, paid over four instalments, which may be accompanied by up to £6m in add-ons.

His move comes after Thomas Frank made the switch from one London club to another, signing with Tottenham Hotspur until 2028.

Mbeumo has another year left on his contract with Brentford, expiring in 2026, as he has proved to be a crucial asset for the club. He scored 20 goals in 38 appearances in the Premier League last season, and Ruben Amorim will be hoping he can maintain such form for United.

3. Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt

Hugo Ekitike is on the verge of joining Liverpool after an agreement with Frankfurt over a £69m transfer, which could rise to £79m with add-ons.

The package would include a £69m guaranteed fee, with up to £10m in add-ons, as the 23-year-old is set to sign a six-year deal with the club.

Despite Newcastle United stepping up their interest in the Frenchman, their £70m initial bid was rejected, with Liverpool’s £79m deal more desirable.

Ekitike could play his ex-Frankfurt counterpart Omar Marmoush in the Premier League next season, following the Egyptians move to Manchester City in January.

The French forward scored 22 goals and assisted 12 in all competitions for the German club last season. He could prove to be a huge asset to Arne Slot’s side and will surely contribute to an already impressive squad depth in attack.

4. Luka Modrić to AC Milan from Real Madrid

Luka Modrić signed a one-year contract with AC Milan until June 2026 after his 13-year tenure at Real Madrid expired.

Modrić extended his contract last summer with the Spanish side, which saw him reach 597 competitive matches for the club.

He joined Real Madrid in 2012 from Tottenham Hotspur and has since won 28 trophies, accompanied by the Ballon d’Or in 2018. After success in both the UEFA Super Cup and the newly re-branded FIFA Intercontinental Cup, Modrić became the most decorated player in Real Madrid history.

His last game for the club was a 4-0 hammering by Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup, but his last at the Santiago Bernabéu was a 2-0 victory against Real Sociedad in May.

Before the match, he issued a farewell message, saying: “Leaving with a full heart. Filled with pride, gratitude and unforgettable memories. And even though, after the Club World Cup, I’m no longer going to wear this shirt on the field, I’ll always be a Madrid fan.

We’ll see each other again. Real Madrid will always be my home for a lifetime.”

5. Noni Madueke to Arsenal from Chelsea

Noni Madueke signed a five-year contract with Arsenal from Chelsea in a deal which could reach over £50m.

Chelsea will receive an initial £48.5m fee with add-ons, which will accompany approximately £85m in winnings from the Club World Cup.

Madueke missed Chelsea’s Club World Cup triumph, beating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final, to complete his move.

The 23-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge following his transfer from PSV Eindhoven, contributing eleven goals in all competitions last season.

He also made his debut for England last year in September under interim manager Lee Carsley, producing three assists in both the UEFA Nations League and World Cup qualifiers.

6. Evan Ferguson to Roma from Brighton & Hove Albion

Evan Ferguson landed in Rome on Sunday to complete his medical ahead of his loan transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion to Roma.

The Republic of Ireland international was greeted by a large crowd of supporters at the Rome Ciampino Airport, before completing his move to the club.

Roma will have to pay a £2.6m loan fee, alongside a £32m option to buy at the end of his contract.

Ferguson joined West Ham United on loan in the January transfer window, but played limited minutes across eight Premier League matches. Graham Potter did not grant the striker a single full 90-minute game, with the 20-year-old’s goalless drought with the club.

He will seek to rediscover his previous form in Italy, with Gian Piero Gasperini keen on bringing the Irishman to the Serie A.

7. Jordan Henderson to Brentford from Ajax

Jordan Henderson joined Brentford on a two-year deal from Ajax as the 35-year-old made his return to the Premier League.

The Liverpool veteran left Merseyside for Saudi Arabia in 2023, signing for Al-Ettifaq, partnering with ex-Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and manager Steven Gerrard. He promptly left the club after 17 appearances despite signing a three-year contract worth approximately £700,000 a week. On his experience in Saudi Arabia, he said: “Sometimes these things don’t work.”

His transfer to Ajax in January 2024 was a step back into European football, making 57 appearances for the club before the termination of his contract.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews said: “He’s still phenomenally fit and he’s still phenomenally motivated to achieve things in the game, having already achieved a lot.

“With the void of experienced players leaving the building – Christian Nørgaard, Mark Flekken and Ben Mee – it was important to replace that.”

8. Kyle Walker-Peters to West Ham United from Southampton

Kyle Walker-Peters has signed for West Ham on a free transfer after leaving Southampton at the end of last season.

After an initial loan spell on the southern coast, the ex-Tottenham defender signed a five-year contract with Southampton for under £7m in 2020.

The 28-year-old said he is “really excited” about joining West Ham, saying: “It feels like it has been a long time coming – I’ve been linked with a move to the Club in the past – and I’m just happy to be here now.

“I spoke to Graham Potter, and he was a big, big part of me making the decision. I’ve always liked his style as a coach, and I think it will suit me well.”

9. Sean Longstaff to Leeds United from Newcastle United

Sean Longstaff has left Newcastle to join Championship victors Leeds United for £12m on a four-year deal.

The 27-year-old midfielder graduated from Newcastle’s academy, completing loan spells at Kilmarnock and Blackpool before joining the first team, and made 214 appearances for the club.

Daniel Farke’s Leeds will battle to stay in the Premier League next season, as all six clubs promoted from the Championship over the last two seasons have been relegated the following year.

10. Djordje Petrovic to Bournemouth from Chelsea

Chelsea have sold Djordje Petrovic to Bournemouth for £25m on a five-year deal after Kepa Arrizabalaga left the Cherries for Arsenal.

Petrovic joined Chelsea from the MLS’s New England Revolution for just under £14m, making 23 Premier League appearances in the 2023/24 season. However, he was loaned out to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg last season, keeping ten clean sheets in 31 appearances.

Kepa was loaned to Bournemouth from Chelsea last season, but following Arsenal’s £5m acquisition of the Spanish goalkeeper, Andoni Iraola required a replacement.

The Serbian goalkeeper will have to compete with a returning Neto next season, who completed his loan spell at Arsenal last year.