Barcelona's preliminary presidential candidate, Xavier Vilajoana, has suggested the Catalan club should consider bringing back Jan Virgili before committing to a permanent deal for Marcus Rashford in this summer's transfer window. Rashford's loan arrangement includes an option for Barcelona to purchase the England international for £26million.

However, they also possess a clause allowing them to re-sign Virgili from Mallorca a year after his departure. The teenage winger has registered six assists for them in La Liga during his debut season of senior football.

Manchester United loanee Rashford, by contrast, has 10 goals and 13 assists. However, he is nine years older than Virgili.

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Vilajoana, a former Barcelona executive who previously headed La Masia, raised Virgili's name when addressing the prospect of signing Rashford permanently. He told ESPN: "I am someone who believes you should always look in-house first, as I've always said, and then look outside depending on the characteristics of the players you have.

"For example, I want to give the example of Jan Virgili, who is currently playing for Mallorca. He's a great winger. I would maybe look at [exercising the clause to re-sign him] as an option, for example, rather than paying the Rashford clause.

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"That said, it's not just the president who arrives and makes the decision. The president arrives, puts things on the table, alternatives are considered, it's discussed, and a decision is made.

"What I am clear on is that if [signing Rashford] is considered to be the best decision from a sporting point of view, the money will be there to make it happen."

Vilajoana is one of four confirmed presidential candidates for the March 15th election. Joan Laporta is seeking re-election, whilst Marc Ciria and Victor Font, who also ran in the previous elections five years ago, are his other challengers.

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