Former Chelsea forward Joe Cole has backed his former side to make a move for wantaway Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford this summer.
The London club are expected to undergo a major overhaul of the squad this summer, following a very difficult campaign last season.
The Blues finished in midtable in the Premier League standings and also suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Chelsea also dismissed Liam Rosenior just a few months after he replaced Enzo Maresca, but have since appointed Xabi Alonso as new manager as they prepare for next season.
Reflecting on the situation, Joe Cole urged Chelsea to go all in for Rashford as reinforcements option for next season.
“It’s just a matter of the wages and the valuation. Rashford ticks a lot of boxes, but you don’t want to spend a fortune on him – he’d do a good job for Chelsea,” Joe Cole said.
“He needs to keep going, Marcus, he needs to keep his confidence up because he rebuilt himself at Barcelona, and there’s still another level for him to jump to.”
Rashford has not played for Manchester United since 2024 and spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan at Aston Villa.
He then joined Barcelona for the entire 2025-26 season where he enjoyed an impressive loan spell and won the league and Supercup titles.
However, the Spanish champions are unwilling to pay the €30 million fee to make the deal permanent and have already signed Anthony Gordon for around €80 million. They still remain interested in Rashford, but will be looking for a reduced offer or another loan deal.
“He’s someone Chelsea should inquire about, but it’ll depend on the deal”, Cole added.
For now, Rashford will be in action for England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, before a decision is taken on his future after the tournament.
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