Revealed: How close Marcus Rashford came to leaving Man Utd this summer

Updated: 13 Sept 2026 12:20 BST | 4 min read

Matthew Judge | Editor

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Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur were among the 12 clubs who made enquiries for Marcus Rashford this summer, according to The Telegraph.

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The Premier League duo were reportedly keen to sign Rashford on a permanent basis, only to baulk at the release clause in his Manchester United contract.

Every Premier League club apart from Liverpool and Manchester City had the option to sign Rashford for €46.6million (£40m) this summer, per various sources.

However, The Telegraph claims Villa and Spurs felt that figure was too high and United were unwilling to negotiate a lower price for the England international.

Clubs in Germany, Italy, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are also understood to have explored the possibility of signing Rashford this summer.

Rashford had originally hoped to join Barcelona on a permanent basis after helping the Spanish giants win La Liga during a successful loan spell last season.

Rashford's goal gets better every time.#laligahighlights pic.twitter.com/eCqwdpnnZm
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 12, 2026

But Hansi Flick’s side decided against triggering a separate option to buy Rashford on a permanent basis for €30m (£26m).

The 28-year-old has since been reintegrated into the United first-team as he looks to write a new chapter at Old Trafford.

Before returning to the Red Devils this summer, Rashford had spent the previous 18 months on loan at Barcelona and Villa respectively.

The academy graduate has featured in United’s first three fixtures of the new Premier League season, starting the last two against Ipswich Town and Everton.

Rashford could feature in Manchester derby

Rashford is poised to appear in the first Manchester derby of the 2026-27 campaign as United entertain fierce rivals Manchester City today.

The forward boasts an impressive scoring record against Man City, having scored six Premier League goals in 17 games against his club’s biggest foes.

Speaking ahead of the Manchester derby, United boss Michael Carrick backed Rashford to make an impact in the game, saying: “He knows what it takes, he knows what it feels like, he knows what he's capable of doing.

“He's been through a lot at this football club, and had some fantastic days, and he's impacted some big games, some of the biggest games. Hopefully he does that a little bit more.”

United head into the clash with City having beaten Azerbaijani minnows Sabah 4-0 in the Champions League on Thursday.

City meanwhile, who are preparing for their first derby under Enzo Maresca, have won their first four games of the new season.

The Cityzens have beaten Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Coventry City and Porto across both the Premier League and the Champions League.