Marcus Rashford has been loaned to Barcelona for the 2025/26 campaign and has commented on the prospect of him potentially joining on permanent terms from Manchester United
After joining Barcelona on loan, Marcus Rashford remains tight-lipped about a potential permanent move from Manchester United. The forward has moved to Catalonia for the forthcoming season after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Rashford’s temporary switch to Barca provides the reigning champions of La Liga an opportunity to secure his services for £30million. This sum is significantly less than Rashford’s value just a few seasons ago, before his standing took a hit at Old Trafford. The Spanish side are also covering his salary, saving United in the region of £12million over the course of the year.
However, there are uncertainties surrounding Barcelona’s financial health and whether Rashford will be registered in time for the season’s kick-off. La Liga’s financial fair play regulations have recently caused problems for the club, with the eligibility of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor being questioned last season.
Spanish star Olmo even missed some game time last season while Barcelona sought approval over their salary cap issues. Yet when asked about any potential stumbling blocks, having already made a couple of pre-season appearances for his new team, Rashford responded nonchalantly.
“I’m not worried,” he told Catalan newspaper Sport (via The Mirror), addressing his registration concerns. “It’s something the club needs to resolve, and I trust they will. I’m focused on training and being ready for the start of the competition.”
Rashford then clarified his stance on a permanent departure from United, emphasising he simply wants to “enjoy the moment” rather than think too far ahead. The 27-year-old made his Barcelona bow in a 3-1 friendly triumph against Japanese side Vissel Kobe at the end of July.
Yet the cameo seemed to go awry. The England star entered as a substitute, only to be hauled off again after 30 minutes. The episode was portrayed as rather awkward for the player, who spent the latter half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.
Nevertheless, new manager Hansi Flick was swift to reject any suggestions of embarrassment or shame. And he maintained the choice was purely to manage the player’s fitness levels.
“We’re being very careful with Marcus because he just came from an injury and he hasn’t started training completely with the ball,” said the German after that match. “He’s a week behind the others. He hasn’t been training as much with the ball, and we want to look after him.”
Rashford excelled on loan under Unai Emery and assisted Villa in making a historic run in the Champions League. He should be back among Europe’s elite this coming season, though the same cannot be said for parent club United after they missed out on continental qualification altogether.
It’s also clear Rashford is prioritising his new team’s requirements ahead of any personal ambitions. And he believes his capability to contribute from various areas of the pitch puts him in good stead.
“I can play in different positions and score goals from any of them,” he said. “It’s about creating chances from different areas and taking advantage of them.”
Such an approach could well persuade Barcelona to secure his services on a permanent basis. Nevertheless, the United academy graduate faces a considerable journey to demonstrate that he merits the move, having copped criticism from pundits and United icons alike for not ‘deserving’ the transfer to Spain.