Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan from Manchester United last season and the Spanish champions have an option to sign the England international for £26m this summer.
Marcus Rashford will not return to Barcelona, according to reports (Image: Ruben Albarran/Shutterstock)
Barcelona are reported not to exercise their £26m option to sign Marcus Rashford on a permanent transfer from Manchester United this summer. The England international has already removed any mention of the Catalan club from his Instagram profile.
Rashford, 28, will return to United after this summer’s World Cup unless a transfer can be arranged in advance with another interested club. The option to sign him is said to expire on Monday, two days before England’s opening game against Group L opponents Croatia.
The Spanish champions effectively chose Anthony Gordon over Rashford. They signed a £60m deal with Newcastle United late last month.
Marca reports that the player’s relationship with Barcelona has ended and the club have said goodbye to last season’s loanee as they will not have him next season. They claim signing Gordon proves interest in signing Rashford permanently has waned.
The newspaper reports that Rafinha will be the starting striker, highlighting how both players will play in the same position. The financial importance of Gordon’s contract is also a factor for them.
If wages are taken into account, both will cost about the same amount per year. However, Gordon is three-and-a-half years younger than Rashford and can press more, which manager Hansi Flick also wants.
Marcus Rashford will reportedly not return to Barcelona (Image: Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)
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It is said that the opinion of the head coach was key to the decision not to exercise the option. Questions reportedly began to arise within the club’s sporting department, including Mr Deco and Mr Flick.
Despite his future being uncertain, Rashford spoke to Gordon about Barcelona during England camp. The latter told talkSPORT: “He just told me how good the Barça players are and the team spirit they have, which I had already heard from the Barça people.
“So I’m really looking forward to joining them. He’s also told me about the city and where to live. He’s a nice guy and very considerate. So he just gave me little bits of information.”
Rashford said in October last year that he wanted to stay at Barcelona. Asked if he had done so in an interview with ESPN, he said, “Oh, definitely.
“I enjoy this football club. For those who love football, I think Barcelona is one of the important clubs in the history of football. For the players, this is an honor.”
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