Why Marcus Rashford can not play for Barcelona even after completing transfer move

Marcus Rashford has apparently finally landed his dream move to Barcelona.

After years of flirtation between player and club, the England forward has arrived at one of football’s biggest stages.

He’s trained with his new teammates, smiled for the cameras, and is already being treated like one of their own. There’s just one problem — he can’t actually play yet.

Yes, Rashford can wear the shirt. Yes, he can even take part in friendlies. But official La Liga matches? Not yet. Not unless Barcelona find a financial solution — and fast.

Despite getting their man, Barcelona are still juggling numbers behind the scenes. La Liga’s salary cap rules are as tight as a full-back marking Rashford on the wing.

Right now, Barca are over that cap, and until they fix it, Rashford remains unregistered for competitive action.

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The club is working on it. Outgoings like Ansu Fati and Clement Lenglet help, but it’s still not enough. The major holdup? VIP revenue at the revamped Camp Nou.

Without that £100 million project signed off, Barca can't spend freely.

For now, Rashford is only allowed to play in non-competitive games. That includes the Joan Gamper Trophy clash against Como, and preseason tours in Japan and South Korea.

But once the La Liga season kicks off on August 16 at Real Mallorca, Rashford’s involvement depends entirely on Barca’s ability to balance the books.

How can Barcelona register Marcus Rashford?

It all comes down to income. La Liga rules don’t allow clubs to spend more than they earn. To register Rashford, Barcelona must either raise significant revenue — through player sales, sponsorship, or that delayed VIP seat deal — or reduce wage bills.

Last season, they were only able to register Dani Olmo for half the campaign due to similar issues. A court twice blocked a second temporary registration. Eventually, Olmo was cleared in January.

Rashford and his camp remain hopeful. So does new coach Hansi Flick. But until the paperwork is done and La Liga gives the green light, Rashford’s dream debut will have to wait.

Barcelona news and related links

• Barcelona snub Serie A star amid rising pressure to fend off Man City
• Barcelona aiming to lock down Man City transfer target
• Where will Marcus Rashford play at Barcelona: Position, squad role for La Liga champions