He will improve Chelsea — Alonso advised to sign 28-year-old unwanted star

Alonso has been advised to take advantage of Barcelona's reluctance to seal a deal for Rashford by signing the forward this summer.

Former Blues star Joe Cole believes the 28-year-old England international would be an excellent addition to the squad at Stamford Bridge.

Rashford spent the entire 2025/26 season on loan at Barcelona, where he impressed by scoring 14 goals and helping Hansi Flick’s side win the La Liga title.

However, Barcelona have confirmed they will not be signing Rashford on a permanent basis due to the high financial demands involved.

Speaking to The Sun, Joe Cole encouraged Chelsea to explore a deal for the forward, who is valued at around £30 million.

“It’s just a matter of the wages and the valuation,” Cole said.

“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. He needs to keep going.

"Marcus needs to keep his confidence up because he rebuilt himself at Barcelona, and there’s still another level for him to jump to.

“He’s someone Chelsea should inquire about, but it’ll depend on the deal.”

Rashford will certainly improve Chelsea's options out wide, with Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens failing to impress.