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BARCELONA: England forward Marcus Rashford said Barcelona was a club where “dreams come true” as he joined the LaLiga champions on Wednesday on a season-long loan from Manchester United with an option to buy.

Media reports said that Barcelona would cover Rashford’s wages this season after the player accepted a pay cut, with the option to buy set at around 30 million euros ($35.25 million) for the 27-year-old.

“Very excited. I think it’s a club where people’s dreams come true. They win big prizes. And what the club stands for really means a lot to me as well. So it feels like I am at home,” Rashford told reporters following his unveiling.

“Another factor is because the conversations I had with the manager (Hansi Flick) were positive. What he did last season was terrific.

“To lead such a young team to a very successful season and come back to pre-season and still want to do more, it shows me everything I thought I knew about the club and it’s everything I wished.”

Once seen as a club icon and homegrown star, Rashford had a dramatic fall from grace at United, marked by a falling out with manager Ruben Amorim that paved the way for him to move to Aston Villa on loan in February.

“(Manchester United) is in a period of change and they have been for a while. I don’t have anything bad to say as it has been an important part not just of my career but my life, so I was grateful for the opportunity,” he added.

“But like life not everything goes as simple as you thought and this is my next chapter and I’m fully focused on improving myself and helping the team win trophies.”

Barcelona said Rashford had signed his contract earlier in the afternoon. “Rashford can play anywhere in attack. Right footed, he can take players on and is an excellent finisher, talents he can now show in a Barca shirt,” the club said in a statement.

The move came after Manchester-born Rashford, who made 426 senior appearances and scored 138 goals for United in all competitions, fell out of favor with Amorim, who called his workrate into question.

Rashford, who won two FA Cups, two League Cups and a Europa League title with United, joined Aston Villa on loan after Amorim said he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.

United issued a statement wishing Rashford well as they announced the deal with Barcelona.

“Everyone at Manchester United wishes Marcus good luck for the season,” the club said.

The forward, who has scored 17 goals for England in 62 appearances, said he was feeling fitter and better after joining Villa, where he netted two goals in 10 league games, while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.

Rashford said he had wanted to move to Barca during the mid-season transfer window when he joined Villa.

“I was clear on my preference (to join Barcelona) from the beginning. Actually from maybe in January. It didn’t work out in January so I went to Villa and enjoyed a good period there,” he said.

“It was time to make another decision. My choice was easy. (Barcelona) is a family club, something I’m used to from my past. It feels like home.”

Barcelona are set to play three pre-season friendlies in Japan and South Korea starting on July 27.

GENEVA: Chloe Kelly fired home the rebound from her own penalty to net a 119th-minute winner as reigning champions England pulled off a stunning comeback to beat Italy 2-1 after extra time on Tuesday and reach the Women’s European Championship final.

England fell behind in the first half but hit back to level through Michelle Agyemang six minutes into second-half stoppage time and when Emma Severini pulled down Beth Mead in the box in extra time, Kelly grabbed the chance to decide the game.

Her first effort was saved but she was quick off the mark to rifle in the rebound and send England through to the final where they will face either Spain or Germany.

After a come-from-behind penalty shootout win over Sweden in the quarter-finals, England again flirted with disaster, but their late surge floored Italy, whose hopes of reaching a first final since 1997 were crushed.

The win propelled England into a third successive major final after their Euro 2022 success and World Cup loss to Spain the following year.

With the Italians riding a wave of confidence after a last-minute winner against Norway in their quarter-final, they defended brilliantly and attacked incisively on the break.

Their persistence paid off in the 33rd minute of a gritty semifinal when a ball from the right found its way to Barbara Bonansea, who took a touch before lashing it into the roof of the net.

England then dominated possession and created a slew of chances as the Italians rode their luck, but too often the English attackers unleashed shots from distance that were easily dealt with or flew harmlessly over the bar.

With their hopes of defending their title slowly slipping away, 19-year-old substitute Agyemang snapped up a loose ball in the box and fired home to send the game to extra time.

Agyemang almost scored again with an effort deep into the second half of the extra period, out-sprinting and out-muscling the Italian defense only to see her deft lob toward goal bounce back off the crossbar.

Sensing that they could avoid a repeat of their quarter-final penalty shootout against Sweden, England poured forward and reaped their reward when Mead was fouled in the box, but there was one more twist in the tale.

Kelly took her usual prancing run-up, but Italy keeper Laura Giuliani kept her nerve and saved, only for the England winger to score from the follow-up and seal her side’s spot in Sunday’s final in Basel.

“I just tried my best for the team. It wasn’t supposed to go like that, that penalty, but (I was) ready for the rebound and ready for any opportunity given to me wearing an England badge,” a delighted Kelly said.

England defender Lucy Bronze said they had been forced to dig deep to reach the final.

“Yeah, we don’t know if it’s the easy way it seems this tournament, but we find a way to win,” she said.

“I think it was the 96th minute and then the 118th minute ... we just ... found a way to get the goals and get the ball (in) the last minute.”

For Italy, who had defended superbly until England’s equalizer, the loss was a devastating blow.

“Obviously, going out like this hurts a lot. Having stood up to the champions should give us a lot of confidence for the future. There are no words to describe the emotions we have experienced on this journey,” coach Andrea Soncin said.

“This evening, for as hard as the girls fought, we definitely deserved a different ending. Many difficult situations to comment on. It’s sad, but I am and we are very proud.”