Manchester United are reportedly in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola in the current summer transfer window.
Reports from Spain indicate that Barcola’s representatives have already held talks with the Red Devils, offering them the chance to land the French international.
PSG are said to be seeking a fee of more than £60m for the 23-year-old, who has become one of Europe’s most exciting attacking talents.
Journalist Robin Bairner has described Barcola as “the next Mbappe,” a label that carries considerable weight given the numbers he has produced in Ligue 1.
Barcola scored 11 goals and created 11 big chances for PSG in Ligue 1 during the 2025/26 campaign, outpacing Marcus Rashford’s equivalent output in LaLiga by a notable margin.
The season before, Barcola racked up 14 goals, 18 big chances created, and ten assists in 34 Ligue 1 appearances, underlining just how consistent his production has been.
Across the last two seasons in all competitions for PSG, Barcola produced 34 goals and 48 big chances created, demonstrating an exceptional rate of contribution from the left flank.
His form at the 2026 World Cup also reinforced his credentials, with Barcola scoring three goals in eight appearances, including one against England in the third-place play-off.
Rashford, by comparison, managed just one goal and one assist in three starts at the tournament, and missed three big chances across his six appearances in the competition.
The United forward did contribute an assist for Bukayo Saka’s first goal in England’s 6-4 win over France, finishing the tournament with one goal and one assist.
Rashford is due to return to Old Trafford for pre-season under new manager Michael Carrick after spending the 2025/26 season on loan at Barcelona under Hansi Flick.
His time in Spain was productive, with the 28-year-old racking up 15 goal contributions in 32 LaLiga appearances, including eight goals and seven assists in the league.
Carrick is transitioning United back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, which should suit Rashford far better than the 3-4-2-1 system employed by former head coach Ruben Amorim.
Under Amorim, Rashford scored just four goals in 15 Premier League appearances before being loaned out to Barcelona, having failed to make a positive impression on the Portuguese manager.
Signing Barcola would not necessarily spell the end for Rashford at Old Trafford, as Champions League football demands genuine depth and competition across every position in the squad.
Both players could compete for the left-wing spot under Carrick, but the statistics from the last two seasons make it clear that Barcola represents the higher ceiling of the two options.
Manchester United have a genuine opportunity to add a world-class wide attacker to their ranks this summer, and the reported interest in Barcola suggests the club is thinking ambitiously.