Marcus Rashford transfer U-turn might be Manchester United's only option

Nobody at Manchester United is really expecting a call from Barcelona in the next couple of weeks. That is how long there is left on the Catalan club's option to sign Marcus Rashford on a permanent deal for £26million, but they have already decided that won't be happening. For United , getting that fee after Rashford's 14 goals and 14 assists at the Nou Camp this season would have been considered good business. There is no desire to reintegrate the forward back into the squad and no particular desire on Rashford's part to return, either.

A parting of the ways is the target for all parties, but once that £26million option expires on June 15 , the goalposts will move. United's stance for months has been that they won't renegotiate with Barcelona, but at that point, that might have to change. Click here to find out the latest Manchester United news in our daily newsletter Rashford still has his sights set on staying at the La Liga giants, despite being stung by their decision to prioritise the signing of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle last week. The departure of Robert Lewandowski means Barcelona still have attacking vacancies, although they are also pushing to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.

That will further eat into their budget, and Rashford's £325,000-a-week wage is also an issue for both potential suitors and United, who are slashing the wage bill under Ineos. If Rashford continues to insist on going back to Barcelona, the most likely route at the moment appears to be via another one-year loan deal. That would see his value further diminish in the summer of 2027, when he will be a few months away from turning 30 and about to enter the final year of his contract. That would be an unsatisfactory deal for United, unless they can secure full coverage of his salary and an obligation rather than an option to buy.

The alternative of having Rashford back in Michael Carrick's squad looks like a non-starter at the moment. The ideal scenario might be that Rashford enjoys a good World Cup, a tournament given added incentive by his duel with Gordon to start down England's left flank. That could bring other interested parties to the table, such as Bayern Munich, who were also keen on Gordon, or Arsenal, who plan to strengthen their options on the left this summer. That would at least give United some bargaining power and the chance to get closer to the £26million fee that they have set their sights on from Barcelona.

For now, they have to face up to the possibility of being forced back to the table to talk to Barcelona, a club that has pleaded poverty but now looks set to spend more than £150million on two new attackers, while refusing to pay £26million for Rashford.