Spanish media in agreement as Marcus Rashford returns after Barcelona transfer 'confirmed'

 Marcus Rashford made his comeback from injury for Barcelona in their commanding 4-1 victory over Villarreal. Taking on La Liga's fourth-placed team at home on Saturday, Hansi Flick's side delivered an outstanding display in what marked the German's 100th match at the helm of the Spanish champions.

The contest was dominated by Lamine Yamal's maiden career hat-trick, with Robert Lewandowski netting a fourth in added time. Beginning the match among the substitutes, Rashford entered the fray in the 73rd minute, replacing Raphinha in his first appearance since sustaining a knee bruise against Mallorca last month.

The Manchester United loanee's return to action arrived alongside fresh developments regarding his footballing future. According to Spanish publication Sport, the La Liga title holders have reached an agreement to secure the 28-year-old permanently, poised to trigger their option to purchase Rashford for a sum of £26million (€30million).

The report further suggests the winger has facilitated the move by significantly reducing his existing wages of over £300,000-a-week, with a compromise between Rashford and Barca regarding his salary now in place.

With 23 goals and assists to his name this campaign, the chance to add to that figure remains for Rashford, who received similar assessments from the Spanish press following his lively cameo against Villarreal.

Sport

Following his return to full fitness, the Englishman enjoyed more than 17 minutes of action in the victory that established a four-point advantage over Real Madrid. Carlos Monfort of Sport awarded Rashford a match rating of six out of 10 and praised his capacity for creating danger on the pitch from nothing.

Monfort also noted that Rashford's knack for turning a match on its head is a key reason why Barcelona are reportedly close to securing a deal to retain him at the Camp Nou permanently. He said: "He is capable of creating danger even when there is none, and this ability to unbalance the game explains why Barca is committed to keeping him permanently."

Football Espana

The match rating of six proved popular amongst Spanish media outlets with Football Espana also awarding Rashford the grade. The contest was already settled by the time the England star was introduced but he failed to contribute a goal or assist in his short cameo. They wrote: "Tried his best to make a difference late on, but it wasn't to be."

Mundo Deportivo

Even without a goal contribution to his name, Rashford still possesses the ability to leave his mark on a match, and that's precisely what Xavier Muñoz of Mundo Deportivo highlighted in the home fixture against Villarreal.

Muñoz spoke of Rashford's potent right foot and superb movement as standout features of his performance during his brief appearance, writing: "He played for just over a quarter of an hour but made his presence felt with some intentional runs and his well-known foot when taking corners."

Tribuna

For many forwards, time on the pitch without contributing to goals might be seen as a poor performance. However, that's not the case for Rashford, who has received commendation for his stint against the Yellow Submarine from several media outlets, including Tribuna.

Whilst the majority of the praise was reserved for the hat-trick hero in Yamal, Rashford was given a decent score of six out of 10, with Oleksii Yani noting: "Active but no decisive contributions."