Marcus Rashford’s potential move to Barcelona is rapidly becoming one of the hottest transfer debates in football.

The Manchester United forward, regarded as one of England’s deadliest attackers, has endured a frustrating spell at Old Trafford after falling out with head coach Ruben Amorim—who even quipped that his 65-year-old goalkeeping coach had a better chance of making the bench than the 28-year-old England international.

But a switch to Camp Nou could change everything. Barcelona’s fluid attacking style and La Liga’s reputation as a haven for forwards have sparked hopes that Rashford could revive his career, much like Raphinha, who transformed from a relegation battler at Leeds to a key figure for Barça and calls to award him the next Ballon d’or has been mentioned on some quarters on social media.

Some even believe Rashford has the potential to play like or outshine stars like Kylian Mbappé, Raphinha, and Nico Williams if he rediscovers his best form. But can he be better or equally as good as these players?

In this article, we break down Raphinha’s numbers before and after his move to La Liga and project where Marcus Rashford could rank among La Liga’s best forwards—if his stats experience a similar growth trajectory after making the switch.

Overall Performance in the EPL: Raphinha vs Rashford

Raphinha and Marcus Rashford have both left their marks in the Premier League, but their journeys tell very different stories.

Raphinha, during his two seasons with Leeds United (2020–2021 and 2021–2022), played 65 EPL games, scoring 17 goals and providing 12 assists in 5,287 minutes of action. His impact was sharp and explosive, making him one of the league’s most exciting wingers before earning a move to Barcelona.

Marcus Rashford, on the other hand, has been a long-term warrior for Manchester United. Over his EPL career, the England international has racked up 297 appearances, scoring 89 goals and delivering 52 assists in an impressive 20,122 minutes. His numbers not only highlight his attacking contribution but also prove his consistency, fitness, and reliability over the years — key qualities for any elite forward.

However, for a fair comparison with Raphinha’s best EPL form, we’re focusing on Rashford’s 2023–2024 season — the last time he played 30+ games and logged over 2,000 minutes, and his best season in the EPL – 2022/2023, when he made 35 appearances, scored 17 goals and provided 5 assists for Manchester United.

Since then, his involvement has dropped significantly, with the Manchester United outcast featuring in fewer than 16 games per season, barely half of the league’s 38 fixtures.

This comparison helps us judge whether Rashford could replicate Raphinha’s successful leap to La Liga and how he might rank against La Liga’s best forwards, including Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior.

Non-Penalty Goals per 90: Can Marcus Rashford Match La Liga’s Elite?

Non-penalty goals per 90 minutes is one of the most reliable indicators of how prolific a forward truly is, stripping away the influence of penalty kicks and inconsistent playing time.

Comparing Marcus Rashford, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappé, and Nico Williams, and Vinícius Júnior on this metric gives us a clear picture of where Rashford currently stands—and how high his ceiling could be if he moves to La Liga.

Raphinha’s final and best season in the Premier League with Leeds saw him score 0.22 non-penalty goals per 90, ranking in the 48th percentile.

Interestingly, Marcus Rashford’s 2022-2023 campaign—his last consistent full season—was nearly identical, with 0.20 non-penalty goals per 90, placing him in the same percentile.

But Rashford’s peak tells a different story. During the 2022-2023 campaign season, when fully fit and firing, he hit an impressive 0.53 non-penalty goals per 90, firmly placing him in the 95th percentile among forwards.

The big question now: Can Rashford replicate that level if he makes the move to La Liga? If he rediscovers his sharpest form and adapts under Hansi Flick the way Raphinha has at Barcelona, Rashford has the potential to rank among La Liga’s elite forwards—93rd percentile for strikers and 90th percentile for wingers, rubbing shoulders with stars like Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior and even rising stars like Nico Williams.

Conversion (%): Can Marcus Rashford Become as Clinical as Kylian Mbappé in La Liga?

Conversion rate (%) measures how clinical a player is in front of goal—how efficiently they turn chances into goals. A high conversion rate is the mark of a forward who knows how to finish, making the most of every opportunity.

Comparing Marcus Rashford, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Nico Williams reveals where Rashford stands and whether La Liga and Hansi Flick could help him reach elite levels.

In the 2023-2024 season, Marcus Rashford recorded a 17.95% conversion rate, slightly higher than Raphinha’s best EPL season (17.74%). But Rashford’s peak in 2022-2023, when he converted 20.99% of his chances, outperforming Raphinha’s current Barcelona numbers (20.69%).

If La Liga’s tactical environment—which often gives forwards more space to run into—is as favorable as Raphinha’s improvement suggests, Rashford’s conversion rate could climb even higher. His record of scoring goals for Manchester United is proven, but can he rediscover his best form?

At his best, he has already shown he can finish at an elite level, and with the right adaptation under Hansi Flick, he could push close to Kylian Mbappé’s outstanding 25.41% last season, the highest among this group of forwards.

Assists per 90: Can Marcus Rashford Match Vinícius Júnior’s Creative Levels in La Liga?

Assists per 90 is one of the most reliable indicators of a player’s creativity and vision. It shows how often a forward or winger provides that crucial, goal-creating pass. Even if a player isn’t the most prolific scorer, elite assist numbers can make them a valuable attacking weapon.

Comparing Marcus Rashford, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior reveals just how much potential Rashford has if he makes the switch to Barcelona.

In an ordinary season like 2023-2024, Marcus Rashford averaged 0.08 assists per 90, only 0.01 fewer than Raphinha’s best EPL season at Leeds (0.09 / 28th percentile).

But Rashford’s best form—seen in the 2022-2023 season—tells a different story. With 0.16 assists per 90 (55th percentile), he nearly doubled Raphinha’s top EPL output.

If Rashford moves to Barcelona, rediscovers that peak form, and adapts to La Liga as well as Raphinha has, his assist rate could skyrocket. A jump similar to Raphinha’s leap from 0.09 to 0.29 per 90 would push Rashford close to or even past the 90th percentile, putting him on par with Vinícius Júnior, who leads this group with 0.32 assists per 90 (92nd percentile).

Cross Accuracy (%): Can Marcus Rashford Deliver Elite Service Like Nico Williams in La Liga?

Cross accuracy (%) is a crucial metric for wingers, measuring their ball-striking quality and ability to deliver dangerous balls into the box. Accurate crossing can directly translate into scoring opportunities, making it a vital weapon for any wide forward. Comparing Marcus Rashford, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Nico Williams shows just how high Rashford’s ceiling can be if he adapts to La Liga.

In the 2023-2024 season, Marcus Rashford struggled badly with his delivery, registering just 5.71% cross accuracy—a poor return for a player of his attacking profile. But his 2022-2023 campaign paints a very different picture: 20.83% accuracy, putting him on par with Raphinha’s best EPL season (20.37%) and even higher than what Vinícius Júnior had last season (19.64%) or what Kylian Mbappé had last season (17.14%).

Notably, Raphinha’s move to La Liga saw his crossing improve from 20.37% to 24.65%, highlighting how Spain’s technical style may favor accurate wide play. If Rashford rediscovers his best form and adapts to the Spanish league under Hansi Flick, he could push closer to elite levels, comparable to Nico Williams’ impressive 23.36% last season.

Shooting Accuracy (%): Can Rashford Reach Mbappé’s Elite Levels in La Liga?

Shooting accuracy (%) is one of the clearest indicators of a forward’s efficiency in front of goal. It measures how often a player’s shots hit the target, revealing who consistently gives themselves the best chance of scoring.

Comparing Marcus Rashford, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Nico Williams provides a clear picture of Rashford’s potential if he moves to La Liga.

In an ordinary season like 2023-2024, Marcus Rashford registered a 31.7% shooting accuracy, placing him in the 30th percentile—a respectable figure and 6.7% higher than Raphinha’s best EPL season at Leeds (25.0% / 13th percentile).

But Rashford’s true potential is reflected in his 2022-2023 campaign, when he hit an outstanding 45.4% shooting accuracy, ranking in the 82nd percentile among EPL’s best forwards.

La Liga, as Raphinha’s improvement shows (35.7% / 52nd percentile at Barcelona), appears more goal-friendly than the Premier League. If Rashford can rediscover his clinical form, he has the talent to push into the 89th percentile or higher, operating at levels close to Kylian Mbappé, who topped the metric with 49.3% accuracy last season.

Barcelona’s failed move for Nico Williams (35.2% / 48th percentile) may yet be a blessing in disguise. Despite the club’s strong interest before his Bilbao contract extension, Williams’ shooting numbers suggest he still has room to grow. If Marcus Rashford completes a move to Camp Nou and adapts to La Liga as impressively as Raphinha, he could prove to be the shrewder and more impactful signing.

Pass Accuracy (%): Can Marcus Rashford Match Mbappé’s Elite Ball Retention in La Liga?

Pass accuracy (%) is crucial for a forward or winger, not just for keeping possession but for progressing play, switching wings, relieving defensive pressure, and creating attacking chances.

Also, a misplaced pass can easily turn into a counterattack, making this metric essential for evaluating a player’s technical reliability. Comparing Marcus Rashford, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Nico Williams reveals just how well Rashford potentially stack up.

These numbers show that Marcus Rashford already boasts superior passing accuracy compared to Raphinha’s best season—75.3% vs 71.1% His peak form in the 2022-2023 season saw him hit 76.7% (61st percentile), proving he can reliably circulate possession and support his team accordingly.

If Marcus Rashford adapts to La Liga as successfully as Raphinha, his passing numbers could rise significantly. Raphinha’s jump after moving to Spain suggests that the technical, possession-focused style of La Liga naturally boosts pass accuracy compared to the Premier League. This makes it highly plausible that Rashford could push towards—or even surpass—the 90th percentile, moving closer to Kylian Mbappé’s elite 82.9% accuracy (96th percentile)

Progressive Carrying Distance per 90 (Yards): Can Rashford Reach Vinícius Júnior’s Explosive Ball-Carrying Levels?

While accurate passing is crucial, a player’s ability to progress the ball by carrying it forward is just as important. Progressive carrying distance per 90 measures how far a player advances the ball towards the opponent’s goal each game—requiring exceptional dribbling ability, close control, and attacking confidence. So how does Marcus Rashford compare to elite ball-carriers like Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé, and Nico Williams?

Marcus Rashford’s 94.83 yards per 90 in the 2023-2024 season shows he is closer or at least nearly on par with Raphinha’s best EPL output (88.89 / 54th percentile).

However, there is a huge gap between Rashford and La Liga’s most dangerous ball carriers. Vinícius Júnior, for example, is in a different class altogether, averaging an explosive 180.76 yards per 90 (99th percentile)—more than double Rashford’s best EPL season. Nico Williams (132.97 / 90th percentile) and Kylian Mbappé (117.89 / 94th percentile) also rank far higher, underlining how much ground Rashford still needs to cover in this department.

If Hansi Flick can improve Rashford’s progressive carrying ability, much more like he helped Raphinha return to playing regularly and start to thrive at Barcelona, Rashford could add or unlock another dimension to his game and get a bit closer to competing with La Liga’s elite dribblers.

Conclusion: Can Marcus Rashford Join La Liga’s Elite?

This analysis of Marcus Rashford’s Barcelona Move—covering non-penalty goals per 90, shooting accuracy, assists, progressive carrying distance, and cross accuracy—shows a player with proven world-class potential. At his best, Rashford has matched or even outperformed Raphinha’s Premier League numbers, posted finishing rates close to Kylian Mbappé, and displayed creativity that could rival Vinícius Júnior and Nico Williams.

Given how Raphinha improved after moving to Barcelona, there is every reason to believe Rashford could make a similar leap. With La Liga’s technical style offering more space and a possession-focused game, and under the right guidance from Hansi Flick, there is no doubt Marcus Rashford can become one of La Liga’s elite attackers if he adapts well in Spain.

Finally, while Rashford’s proposed move to Barcelona is expected to a loan move, Manchester United fans must not forget what he has helped the club achieve – and there is no doubt Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in the world with a rich footballing tradition, will hope Marcus Rashford can help them realize similar success.