Barcelona ‘had to’ sign Rashford, says Flick

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick says the club could not miss out on the opportunity to sign Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United this summer.

The England man bagged his first goals for Barca in a 2-1 Champions League win at Newcastle – the second being an absolute rocket – to leave Flick a very happy man.

Asked if he was surprised to be able to land the 27-year-old on a season-long loan deal, the German said: “When we had this chance, we said, ‘Okay, we have to do it’.

Marcus Rashford take. A. Bow. 🚀

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8SDW84n3h2

“I spoke with him before everything, going in the right way. I said, ‘I want you, I want you in my team’, and 100 per cent I’m happy because he’s an outstanding player.”

Rashford, whose only other goal this season had come from the penalty spot during England’s 5-0 World Cup qualifier victory in Serbia, broke the deadlock with 58 minutes gone when he headed Jules Kounde’s cross beyond Nick Pope, who he beat even more comprehensively nine minutes later when thumped home a long-range strike off the underside of the crossbar.

"If I was Ruben Amorim, I'd be thinking, 'What have I done?'" 😬

Nicky Butt on Marcus Rashford's performance 🔥 #UCL #MOTD pic.twitter.com/qTXRJUxTq6