Marcus Rashford has posted a New Year’s message that makes no mention of Manchester United. The 28-year-old is currently on loan at Barcelona, making 24 appearances in all competitions, finding the back of the net seven times and providing 11 assists.
It has been a very productive year for Rashford, with outstanding performances in brief stints at both Aston Villa and Barcelona earning him a recall to the England squad. The forward has summarized the highlights of this year in nine Instagram photos, the majority of which show him wearing Barcelona colors.
His post read: “As 2025 draws to a close, I’m grateful for a year of change and introspection. I’m feeling excited, motivated and ready to be ambitious in both sport and life for 2026. MR14 (red and blue heart emoji).” Rashford’s goal for Villa against Manchester City was also included, although United were not directly mentioned.
The last time Barcelona played was on Sunday 21 December, Rashford was on the bench, as he was in the Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Manager Hansi Flick opted to play Rafinha and Lamine Yamal wide, using the same combination against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League. Despite being left out of the starting lineup twice, Flick says England’s response to these selections has been nothing short of exemplary.
Flick said of Rashford: “I try to talk to all the players who weren’t selected and the last time I checked he said, ‘Boss, you don’t need to talk to me about your decision.’ “‘The most important thing is the team. We have to get the three points. The rest are not that important.’
“It’s the perfect mentality. I’m really happy to have him. When he’s on the bench, he shows that we’re a good, deep team. All I can say is that he’s a completely professional player. At first he had to adapt a little bit, but now he’s at the highest level.”
It’s no surprise that a number of Spanish press outlets are reporting Flick’s keenness to take Rashford to Barcelona on a permanent transfer when the summer window opens. The buyout option included in his move is said to be around £26m.
