Man Utd's Rashford U-turn piles pressure on Barcelona

Robin Bairner

• 26 Mar 2026 04:30 CDT
• 3 min read

News

Manchester United have changed their stance over the future of Marcus Rashford in a move that will prompt a response from Barcelona.

Rashford had been sent on loan to the Camp Nou side last summer after being frozen out by Ruben Amorim.

While his performances for Barcelona have been impressive, there is no guarantee that the Blaugrana will trigger his €30 million (£25.9m) purchase clause as they are under financial pressure and need to strengthen other areas of their squad, with centre-forward Robert Lewandowski notably expected to leave as a free agent.

Man Utd ready to welcome Rashford back

Barcelona had planned to renegotiate terms with Man Utd to allow them to secure Rashford for at least another year. This included a plan to drive the England international’s purchase cost down or strike another loan agreement.

Man Utd have resisted these plans, and according to ESPN, are now open to retaining Rashford if Barca do not complete a deal for him.

Previously, it had been claimed that he would immediately be put up for sale by the Old Trafford side, but this fresh report indicates that there is the possibility of a longer-term plan.

“It's likely he would be allowed to rejoin the first-team squad, now that former head coach Ruben Amorim is no longer at the club,” ESPN claims.

Verdict: Rashford’s future uncertain but Barcelona deal looks increasingly distant

Barcelona do not look in a strong position to retain Rashford. The Blaugrana’s dallying over a €30m fee that is already cheap for the England star, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €52.2m suggests they will struggle to complete a deal.

Meanwhile, Man Utd are being offered other options. Aside from the increased possibility of retaining Rashford for the use of the next manager, there have also been “enquiries from a number of clubs in England and Europe” over the player.

In turn, United believe that Rashford’s performances at Barcelona will allow them to leverage a better deal for the player, with a higher fee than the €30m they would receive from the Catalans.

If Barca really want to retain the forward, it increasingly appears that paying the full €30m in the loan agreement will be the only way to do it. Man Utd are in a position of power here.

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