'Understated and intimate' - the view from Rashford unveiling

Barcelona's latest arrival did not touch down in a blaze of fireworks. There were no rooftop unveilings, no dramatic montages backed by operatic scores.

Marcus Rashford landed quietly with a little video of him talking to someone in a red telephone kiosk. "It's official," he says. And the obligatory "Visca el Barca".

The England international, 27, has joined Barca on a season-long loan from Manchester United.

"There wasn't a sense of a superstar arriving. But I think people will be surprised," said a source close to the deal.

The announcement was understated, the press only alerted hours before the official presentation.

And even that felt intimate - about 70 journalists, photographers and cameras packed into the Nou Camp official store.

Absent were the big names: no chairman Joan Laporta, no vice-president Rafa Yuste. Not even director of football Deco. In the signing offices next to the shop, Rashford put pen to paper next to all of them but they left him on his own on purpose. It was his moment.

The rebuilding of the stadium echoed the rebuilding of the man. Behind the signing, behind the cameras, Rashford stood smiling. Calm and thankful. He has had enough experience of media attention.

He spoke about the six months under Unai Emery at Aston Villa, a period he says helped change his perception of football - and of himself. He is enjoying the game again. Enjoying life again.

It is no secret that Rashford's last seasons at Manchester United were challenging. His form dipped. Injuries, noise, expectation took its toll.

But something shifted at Villa. His performance against Paris St-Germain in their Champions League quarter-final was a reminder of who he is: electric, intelligent, capable of brilliance in a moment.

Marcus Rashford will become the first Englishman to play for Barcelona's first team since Gary Lineker, who did so from 1986 to 1989

He waited for Barca - and would have waited longer if he had to. In January, a move collapsed because of the club's inability to register players such as Dani Olmo and Pau Victor. But this summer, he did not want the opportunity to escape.

There is no financial penalty if Barcelona fail to register him, but nobody in the club believes it will come to that. The expectation is that money will be raised, players will be moved, and the squad list will feature Rashford's name.

Officially, Rashford arrives as a winger. Unofficially, he is so much more. Hansi Flick values flexibility above almost anything - and in Rashford he sees a player who can play left, right, or centrally. A wide forward who can lead the press, who understands space, and who can slot into a variety of roles.

The conversation between both of them suggested a manager that knew very well of his circumstances and potential, and a player that was desperate to impress.

Deco initially leaned toward Liverpool's Luis Diaz, and very publicly Athletic's Nico Williams was another option. But Rashford (as he said, with due respect to all those that wanted him) was hoping the stars aligned for his arrival.

When Robert Lewandowski is unavailable, Rashford will compete with Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres for the number nine role. But when he is on the pitch, it's likely he will operate from the left, where he has always looked most dangerous.

In the presentation, Rashford was accompanied by his brothers, Dwaine and Dane, as well as Arturo Canales, the intermediary who helped navigate the transfer.

Even Lamine Yamal played a role, quietly nudging the process along through messages on Instagram. A digital friendship born of mutual admiration - Lamine grew up playing Fifa with Rashford on his screen; now they will share a pitch.

"They probably think of him like a legend," said one source close to the players.

That admiration was mutual. Rashford sees in Lamine the brightest talent. In the two training sessions they have shared, Rashford has seen the talent and the serious work, but also, when entering the changing room, why Dani Olmo said it seems like a kindergarten. So many young kids!

The choice of shirt number was not accidental. Rashford will wear 14 - the number Johan Cruyff made iconic with Ajax and the Netherlands. But it is also the number of another hero of his: Thierry Henry. A nod to history.

Barcelona have secured an option to buy Rashford for 30m euros (£26m) before next summer. If they do not, they'll pay 5m euros (£4.3m) as a penalty.

Rashford, for his part, has accepted a 15% wage reduction (up to 25% when bonuses are factored in), bringing his gross annual salary to about 14m euros (£12.1m).

Rashford comes to Spain hungrier and wiser. He grew up watching La Liga on British TV. Fell in love with Barcelona. Dreamed of the Nou Camp. Now, he is here - just as the club, and the stadium, begin a new chapter.

Spanish football has taught us that adaptation takes time. But if Rashford rescales the heights we know he can reach, Barcelona may have pulled off something rare in modern football: a bargain.