Marcus Rashford is set to return to Manchester United this month after FC Barcelona opted not to trigger the €30 million purchase clause in his loan agreement.
The decision was confirmed last week as the buy-option window expired on June 15, ending the England forward’s season-long spell in Spain. Rashford, 28, joined Barcelona on loan last summer following a falling out with former United manager Ruben Amorim and a six-month stint at Aston Villa.
The Catalan club had until mid-June to make the move permanent for a fixed fee of €30 million, but chose not to proceed.
During his time at Camp Nou under Hansi Flick, Rashford made 49 appearances across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and registering 14 assists. He helped Barcelona win La Liga and the Supercopa de España, but his substantial wages and La Liga’s financial regulations complicated a permanent transfer.
Barcelona’s sporting director Deco cited financial fair play, priorities, and performance as factors in the delay, stating the club had not yet made a final decision. Despite not activating the clause, Barcelona remain interested in keeping Rashford and are open to discussing a new loan deal if Manchester United agree.
Manchester United have stated they prefer a permanent sale to help fund their summer rebuild and are not interested in another loan arrangement. Interim United boss Michael Carrick said no decision has been made on Rashford’s Old Trafford future, adding that talks will happen “at a certain point because it has to be”. Rashford has two years left on his United contract, signed in 2023, and is currently with the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.