Mourinho Eyes Rashford Reunion at Real Madrid to Stir the Barcelona Pot

Jose Mourinho's imminent arrival at Real Madrid could spark an unexpected transfer twist, with the Portuguese tactician reportedly keen on reuniting with Marcus Rashford – and in doing so, landing a dig at Barcelona in the process.

Rashford is currently on loan at Camp Nou from Manchester United, having arrived last summer. The England international has flourished under Hansi Flick's management, amassing 14 goals and 14 assists across 48 appearances while helping Barcelona claim both the Supercopa de Espana and LaLiga titles. He even found the net against Real Madrid in last weekend's El Clasico clash.

Barcelona's hierarchy is understandably eager to keep the winger in Catalonia, though they're reluctant to activate the €30 million (£26.1m) permanent purchase option built into the loan agreement. Instead, the club is exploring another temporary arrangement for the upcoming campaign, with aspirations to secure a permanent deal in 2027.

Manchester United, however, remains hesitant about this proposal. Now, however, a more intriguing possibility has emerged: a potential move to the Bernabeu.

According to journalist Miguel Delaney's Inside Football Newsletter, Mourinho is preparing to take the Real Madrid hotseat and has his sights set on a reunion with the 26-year-old winger. The pair worked together at Old Trafford, and Delaney suggests Mourinho's motivation cuts both ways.

"Mourinho has an existing good relationship with Rashford and there is a feeling he would love to do it for two reasons: one to get a good player he knows; two to already cause disruption as well as a few problems for Barcelona," Delaney wrote.

The notion of Mourinho deliberately engineering a move to wound a rival isn't entirely out of character. Back in March 2018, when managing Rashford at United, the manager was effusive in his praise: "The good thing with Marcus is he can play in the three attacking positions so, even when he doesn't start, to be on the bench is such a security for me and for the team. Marcus is a fantastic boy. He is also very grounded and, for sure, we love him, and he's going to have the chances to keep developing."

Whether such a manoeuvre materializes remains to be seen, but it would certainly add another layer of complexity to an already tangled summer saga.