Marcus Rashford celebrated his loan move to Barcelona by dining out with the club’s president Joan Laporta and other members of the board at one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants on Wednesday night.
The 27-year-old forward, who has been pursuing an escape from Manchester United since his six-month loan spell at Aston Villa came to an end earlier this summer, finally got his wish by teaming up with LaLiga giants Barcelona on Monday.
The loan agreement also allows Barcelona to sign Rashford on a permanent deal next summer for a fee in the region of £30million.
Given a five-star welcome by the Catalan giants, Rashford was wined and dined at exclusive £156-per-head Amar restaurant in Barcelona, with 18 people attending the dinner.
Rock icon Bruce Springsteen, former USA president Barack Obama and esteemed film director Steven Spielberg are among the famous faces to have dined at the luxury brasserie.
Dishes of tuna belly, prawns, crab cannelloni and ‘mongetes’ from Santa Pau were served to the table, with Rashford and Co offered an opportunity to sample a variety of delicacies.
Marcus Rashford celebrated his loan move to Barcelona by dining out with the club’s president Joan Laporta and other members of the board at one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants
The Man United exile’s loan move to Barcelona was made official on Wednesday evening
Rashford could not stop smiling at his unveiling – and he has been given a five-star welcome
The group, according to Spanish outlet El Periodico, completed the feast with wagyu meat and Galician blonde, before having the restaurant’s famous cheesecake for dessert.
After the meal, Rashford and Laporta posed for a photograph with the chefs, waiting staff and sommeliers, both beaming at their excitement over the new chapter.
Speaking at his unveiling as a Barcelona player, Rashford expressed his delight at signing for the Spanish giants and said it will be a ‘joy’ to play for the club.
‘I am very excited, I think it’s a club where people’s dreams come true,’ Rashford said.
‘What the club stands for means a lot to me as well and it feels like I’m at home, and this is a big factor in my choice. It’s a family club people are comfortable here and it’s a good place for people to show their skills.
‘I try to make decisive actions and fast dynamic plays and I always like good football so I’ve always been a fan of watching Barcelona from a young age.
‘It’s going to be a joy for me to play here and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.’
‘I am definitely full of excitement and hunger to go out and try an help the team win.
Barcelona president Laporta is doing everything he can to make his new forward feel at home
It’s all smiles for Rashford at the Nou Camp – both at his unveiling and during training sessions
It marks a drastic change from his last few months at Manchester United, where he has been placed in Ruben Amorim’s five-man bomb squad following a loan spell at Aston Villa
‘They won so much last year and I can see the ambition is to do better than last year.
‘As a player that’s what you want to hear, it keeps you improving year on year and that’s what you need to be the best version of yourself.’
Rashford added that he had ‘very positive’ talks with Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, who he described as one of the games’ ‘top coaches’.
The Manchester United exile, who had been placed alongside fellow outcasts Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho in Ruben Amorim’s five-man summer bomb squad, looked like a man reborn after touching down in Spain to complete his move.
Rashford, set to wear No 14 at the Nou Camp, was pictured grinning in training alongside Spanish superstar Lamine Yamal – and several fans even claimed he had enjoyed a ‘glow-up’ after being pictured at his unveiling.
Rashford is understood to have taken 15 per cent pay cut from his £315,000-a-week Man United wage to join Barcelona.
During his successful loan stint at Aston Villa, he scored three goals and contributed four assists across all competitions as Unai Emery’s side reached the Champions League quarter-finals.
