Marcus Rashford’s return to Man Utd twist as transfer agreement reached | Football | Sport

Barcelona have reached a complete agreement to sign Anthony Gordon as a possible alternative to Marcus Rashford. The Catalan giants declared their interest following Bayern Munich’s clear intent to secure Gordon’s signature. Newcastle are ready to sell to the La Liga champions, who also hold an option to sign loanee Rashford permanently for £26million this summer.

Barcelona are said to have also reached an agreement on personal terms with Rashford regarding a permanent transfer, but are hoping to negotiate a reduced fee with United as they consider several crucial attacking signings, with striker Robert Lewandowski departing this summer when his contract expires.

Speculation surrounding Gordon, who joined Newcastle from Everton for £45million in January 2023, has been rife for two seasons. His catalogue of potential destinations extends well beyond just two of Europe’s top clubs, with Liverpool having maintained a longstanding interest.

But Barcelona have beaten all rivals to Gordon’s signature and he is set to fly to Spain shortly to undergo a medical.

However, talkSPORT claim that Rashford remains an option for Barcelona and both England internationals may end up joining. There are less funds available though and he still could return to United, where Michael Carrick has already stated his desire to work with the forward.

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Gordon has been a pivotal figure in Newcastle’s revival over recent seasons. His attacking partnership with Alexander Isak, who departed for Liverpool in a £130m deal last summer, alongside Jacob Murphy, proved to be one of the most eye-catching combinations in the division.

The winger’s displays were amongst the driving forces behind the club’s historic journey to ending their 70-year wait for major silverware in the 2024-25 Carabao Cup final. He also played his part in securing a place in this season’s Champions League.

Yet, with persistent rumours swirling over a potential exit from Tyneside, Gordon’s influence has dipped somewhat this campaign. Nevertheless, he still managed 17 goals, 10 of which came in the Champions League.

That haul included a strike against Barcelona, though it proved to be nothing more than a consolation at St. James’ Park, with Rashford netting a brace on his return to English football.

As speculation mounted with the campaign nearing its conclusion, head coach Eddie Howe chose to leave the forward out of his starting line-up following his return from injury, hinting that the club may already be planning with one eye on the future.

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Howe said: “When you get to this stage of the season, part of what we will be doing we’ll be looking to next year, naturally. Anthony’s just come back from injury, I think the team has played well in his absence and with a partial view to the future.

He added: “No updates from me. These are discussions that potentially might be happening, but not with me.”