As Manchester United prepare for a summer clear-out, Marcus Rashford appears to have identified his next destination in a bid to revive his career.
Marcus Rashford’s nearly two-decade association with Manchester United looks to be coming to an end, with manager Rúben Amorim reportedly viewing the forward as surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.
The Academy graduate, who has made 426 appearances for the club, scoring 138 goals and providing 77 assists, is now expected to move on.
He spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Aston Villa following a reported falling out with Amorim over training standards. Although Rashford impressed during his stint in Birmingham, Villa ultimately decided against activating the £40 million buy option.
With Amorim giving the go-ahead for a permanent transfer, Rashford is back on the market and likely to be available for a similar fee this summer.
Rashford close to a move to the Spanish giants
The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona for a number of weeks now, saying publicly in an interview that he’d love to play with Lamine Yamal.
After a deal fell through at the last moment for long-term target Nico Williams, the Catalan club are now upping their pursuit for the 27-year-old who is pushing for a move to the Catalan club.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Rashford had informed United of his desire to cut short his career at United, prompting the Catalan giants to react.
According to Foot Mercato, discussions are set to take place in the coming days between United and the current Spanish champions to explore the possibility of a deal, which would most likely be a loan with an option to buy.
It is further claimed that Rashford is ready to make a significant effort to facilitate the move going through.
Rashford looking for a career revival
While Barcelona are well-stocked on the left wing, they remain in need of cover for the ageing Robert Lewandowski, who struggled with multiple injuries last season.
Rashford is open to lowering his wages as he pushes for a loan move to the Spanish giants, hoping a fresh start in La Liga will help him rediscover his form ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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Although Manchester United are prioritising permanent exits for their wantaway players, Rashford’s £325,000-a-week salary could prompt a rethink. Offloading those wages would save the club around £17 million annually.
United must be quick when negotiating the sales of players to ensure new signings have enough time to integrate themselves into the side, or they risk issues acclimatising themselves with the rest of the squad ahead of a tough run of fixtures at the start of the season.
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