Barcelona are set to announce the signing of Marcus Rashford on a one-year loan deal from Manchester United, with the option to buy next summer.
Marcus Rashford is joining Barcelona on loan for the coming 2025/26 campaign after being ostracised from the Manchester United squad.
Despite scoring just two minutes into Rúben Amorim’s first fixture in charge and adding a brace to this against Everton the following weekend, the United head coach felt that Rashford was not trying hard enough in training and chose to send him on loan to Aston Villa in January.
Although the 27-year-old returned at the end of June, he was informed by Amorim that he would not be welcomed back into the training group, and that if he wanted to use the club’s training facilities, he would only be permitted to arrive at Carrington at 5pm each day, after the first-team squad had left.
Despite offers from Saudi Arabian clubs and Bayern Munich, Rashford made it clear very early on in the window that if he were to leave the club, it would only be to join Barcelona.
Barcelona’s finances behind Rashford’s move explained
Upon signing the one-season loan deal, Barcelona will cover the full cost of Rashford’s salary for the upcoming campaign as part of a loan deal that significantly eases United’s wage bill, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that the Spanish club will pay 75% of Rashford’s salary, which amounts to approximately £11.8 million gross. Rashford himself has agreed to a 15% pay cut to help facilitate the move, meaning United will not pay “a single euro” of his wages during the loan spell.
In addition to salary coverage, the deal includes appearance-related bonuses for Rashford, contingent upon the number of games he plays for Barcelona.
With the Catalan outfit paying Rashford’s entire salary, United have forgone asking the Spanish club to pay a loan fee for the player. However, there is also a buy option clause worth approximately £25.3 million, which can be exercised in the summer of 2026.
Romano also reports that United have inserted a penalty clause into the agreement, similar to the one used in Jadon Sancho’s Chelsea loan deal last season, which would see Barcelona pay a fee if they choose not to sign Rashford permanently by summer 2025.
While the figure is said to be less than the £5 million clause used in Sancho’s case, Romano stressed it still provides a layer of financial protection for United.
Rashford’s exit unlocks United’s next steps
With the club having brought in Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, and Bryan Mbeumo so far this summer, it has been made clear that they need exits to fund further additions.
Romano has recently explained that United’s next two priorities are signing a striker and a goalkeeper, and Amorim wants both of these through the door before the club kick off their Premier League campaign in mid-August.
Rashford’s exit is the first of five major ones the club are trying to orchestrate, with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia al expected to depart, too.
With the 27-year-old winger now out the door, many are hoping that this is the first domino to fall that will trigger exits for other players, raising funding for Amorim’s next major additions.
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