Marcus Rashford is set to leave Manchester United on loan after the club agreed a deal with Barcelona for the England forward
Marcus Rashford is set to join Barcelona from Manchester United(Image: Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images.)
Marcus Rashford’s wait appears to be over as he is set to leave Manchester United for Barcelona, with a loan agreement between the two clubs nearing completion. After his loan stint at Aston Villa was cut short due to injury, Rashford has had his sights set on Barca and, barring any unforeseen issues, it seems he will get his wish.
The 27-year-old turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, holding out for Barcelona and United to reach an agreement over his transfer. Barcelona were initially reluctant as they pursued Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams before showing interest in Liverpool’s Luis Diaz.
However, Hansi Flick’s team are now eager to secure the United forward, seeing him as a potential fit on the left of their 4-3-3 formation and as a backup for seasoned centre-forward Robert Lewandowski.
Barcelona’s financial difficulties in recent years are well known, and the Catalan giants have been reluctant to sign Rashford on a permanent deal immediately. United slapped a £40million price tag on the attacker, before adding him to Ruben Amorim’s ‘bomb squad’ alongside Jadon Sancho, Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Alejandro Garnacho.
United are keen to offload their surplus players swiftly to help finance a significant squad revamp, which has already seen Matheus Cunha join for £62.5m, with Bryan Mbeumo expected to follow for £70m.
United have consented to loan Rashford out once more, with the stipulation that Barcelona cover his full wages and maintain an option to purchase. This represents a considerable financial undertaking given Rashford’s £325,000-a-week salary, which runs until June 2028.
Offloading such a hefty wage will undoubtedly ease United’s financial pressures, while Sancho could join Juventus. With the pre-season tour of the United States on the horizon and the 2025/26 season fast approaching, time is of the essence for the club, reports the Mirror.
Rashford’s move away has been brewing for a while after a winter fallout with Amorim led to a loan spell at Villa in January, yet it remains a significant transaction for all involved.
A product of United’s academy, Rashford boasts an impressive tally of 138 goals and 77 assists from 426 appearances for his local team. His contributions have been instrumental in United’s FA Cup, EFL Cup (twice), and Europa League triumphs, making his departure a notable event.
Reflecting on his future last December, Rashford said: “If I know that a situation is already bad I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past and I don’t want to be that person.
“When I leave I’ll make a statement and it will be from me. When I leave it’s going to be ‘no hard feelings’. You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person. For me, personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps.”
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