The next chapter of Marcus Rashford’s dysfunctional relationship with Manchester United may involve a long summer waiting to discover where he plays next season.
A state of limbo for a forward expected to start England’s World Cup opener against Croatia on 17 June in Dallas is an unusual predicament. Yet this is the latest juncture in a period of career uncertainty that began when the former United head coach Ruben Amorim excluded Rashford from his first-team plans. That was in December 2024, loans at Aston Villa and Barcelona followed, and Rashford is still looking to put down roots, perhaps in Catalonia, something he may well have expected to transpire after scoring a free-kick against Real Madrid that proved pivotal in Barcelona’s La Liga-clinching clásico victory last month.
Having enjoyed a generally successful spell under Hansi Flick at the Camp Nou, Rashford’s stated preference would be to sign permanently for Barcelona. “I am not a magician but if I was, I would stay,” he said after scoring against Real on 10 May. “We will see.”
The problem is Barça’s interest in the 28-year-old is opaque. Anthony Gordon’s £69m arrival from Newcastle last week confuses the picture further given he, too, is a left-sided attacker. And if Barcelona want Rashford at all it seems it would again be only on a temporary basis. United, meanwhile, would insist on a £26m permanent fee as they attempt to make money on a player reared in their academy before his contract expires in May 2028.
The answer to why the price is low for a footballer in his peak years offers a clue to the whole saga: behind the sum is Rashford’s £17.5m yearly salary, or the total £35m left to pay on his current terms. United want to offload the cost of the high wage. If Rashford is loaned again, the recruiting club will have to cover all or most of the cost. As things stand, Barcelona do not appear minded to make any move for Rashford permanent.
Rasmus Højlund has joined Napoli from Manchester United in a €44m (£38m) deal three years after he moved to Old Trafford for £72m. When the €6m loan fee that took the striker to the Italian club last season is factored in, United have made a £29m loss.
Højlund, signed by Erik ten Hag, struggled to score consistently for United, managing 26 goals in 95 appearances. He won the FA Cup in his first season after entering as a substitute in the 2-1 final win against Manchester City. The Dane scored 16 times in 44 appearances for Napoli last term as the team qualified for the Champions League. Jamie Jackson
What are Rashford’s other options? With the caveat of never saying never, there seems no way back for him at United, despite Amorim’s departure and the appointment of Michael Carrick as his permanent successor. The lad from Wythenshawe remains firmly persona non grata for Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s minority owner and controller of football policy, as well as for his senior management team: Jason Wilcox, the director of football, and Omar Berrada, the chief executive.
When Rashford’s loan move to Villa ended last summer, his aim was to join a Champions League-qualified club but not one in London. If this position has changed, Arsenal may be a potential destination. Mikel Arteta would surely categorise Rashford as an upgrade on Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli as a left-sided attacking option for the Premier League champions. Rashford’s ability to operate at No 9 would also offer a further permutation there, alongside Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres.
The same holds at Liverpool, where Cody Gakpo is Liverpool’s only senior left-sided option and whose output last season was, at best, middling. If they came calling, would Rashford’s disaffection with United prove searing enough for him to ignore tribal loyalties and move to Anfield?
Villa, too, may be a desirable destination – Rashford lit up Unai Emery’s side when there, especially in the Champions League – while another move abroad also remains a possibility. Paris Saint-Germain have been admirers, albeit it feels unlikely the two-time Champions League winners would move for Rashford given they have the world-class Khvicha Kvaratskhelia operating on the left-hand side of their attack. At Bayern Munich, meanwhile, Luis Díaz is established in the position and at Real Madrid there is Vinícius Júnior.
Rashford’s next destination is likely to become clearer when the transfer window opens on 15 June but maybe only slowly due to the complexities of his situation, the different agendas of different parties and the World Cup, which should be his prime focus. United could stymie any deal not deemed desirable to them. But Rashford could also refuse any move he does not want. Assessing this fraught dynamic is a cast of admirers who may well want to add a player who helped Barcelona to retain the title in Spain but wonder if they can actually afford him.
Rashford remains an enigma. A total of eight goals and nine assists in La Liga last season was a relatively modest return and may explain Barcelona’s caution regarding a permanent deal for him. This may change. Imagine, for instance, an England World Cup campaign lit up by Rashford. In this scenario, a £26m fee plus a high-end salary may seem cut-price.
