Former England striker Gary Lineker has signalled his endorsement of Marcus Rashford's anticipated transfer to Barcelona through a notable social media gesture.
The Match of the Day presenter updated his Instagram profile photograph to display an image of himself alongside Rashford, with both sporting England's number 10 jersey whilst positioned outside 10 Downing Street.
This symbolic change comes as the Manchester United forward approaches a loan switch to the Catalan club.
Lineker, who represented Barcelona between 1986 and 1989, appears to be welcoming Rashford's potential arrival at the Camp Nou through this public display of support on the social media platform.
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|Gary Lineker has shown his support for Marcus Rashford's prospective move to Barcelona
Barcelona have reached an agreement to cover Rashford's entire £325,000 weekly salary during his loan spell, according to negotiations between the Spanish champions and Manchester United.
The arrangement includes a purchase option for the following summer, allowing the Catalan side to make the transfer permanent.
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Discussions between both clubs have progressed to an advanced stage, with the La Liga champions prepared to shoulder the full financial burden of the England international's wages.
The deal represents a significant commitment from Barcelona, who will assume responsibility for the forward's substantial salary throughout the temporary transfer.
United had initially sought a permanent sale worth approximately £40 million but have now accepted the loan proposal with future purchase rights.
Rashford finds himself training with Manchester United's surplus players after manager Ruben Amorim made clear the striker has no place in his plans.
The 27-year-old has been relegated to sessions alongside Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia, all of whom face uncertain futures at Old Trafford.
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Gary Lineker appeared to show his support to Marcus Rashford by changing his Instagram pic
The England forward has made his preference for Barcelona evident, having turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia whilst waiting for the Spanish giants to finalise terms with United.
His determination to secure the Camp Nou move became apparent when he responded positively to questions about potentially playing alongside Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal, stating: "Yeah, sure. Everybody in the world wants to play with the best. So hopefully, we'll see."
Lineker remains the sole English footballer to have represented Barcelona since the Second World War, netting 51 times across 138 appearances during his three-year stint at the club.
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Getty | Marcus Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston VillaHis tenure yielded a Copa del Rey triumph before departing in 1989.
Rashford is anticipated to operate from the left flank in Hansi Flick's 4-3-3 system, whilst also offering cover for veteran striker Robert Lewandowski.
The Barcelona manager had previously expressed admiration for the United forward, commenting earlier this summer: "I don't want to speak about players which are not in my team, but of course Luis Diaz and Marcus Rashford are fantastic players.
"I like them and we'll see what happens."