Marcus Rashford is among five players set to depart Barcelona this summer, with a return to Manchester United looking increasingly likely. The Spanish club reportedly will not make the loan move permanent. The forward is currently on loan from United, with Barcelona holding the option to sign him permanently in the summer for a £26million fee.
Barcelona had attempted to negotiate a reduced fee with United, and explored the possibility of taking Rashford on loan again next season. But United are firmly standing their ground on their asking price. According to Marca, Rashford is now amongst five players exiting in the summer having ‘completed a cycle’ at the club. Across his 43 appearances this season, he has netted 12 goals and registered 13 assists.
Should Rashford head back to United, whoever is in charge will face a crucial decision regarding his future. They must either reintroduce him into the squad and hope he recaptures the form that first earned him a first-team berth, or seek out an alternative buyer for the forward.
The England international spent the latter half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, where he scored four goals and contributed six assists across 17 appearances.
He has forced his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England plans over the past year and will be eager to play a prominent role in this summer’s World Cup in North America. The purchase clause in Rashford’s Barcelona loan agreement expires on June 15, four days after the tournament gets underway.
Alongside Rashford, fellow frontman Robert Lewandowski also features on the list. The Poland international is out of contract at the Nou Camp this summer, with reports indicating that his camp are in negotiations with Juventus.
Frenkie de Jong, Andreas Christensen and Marc Masado are the remaining three players who appear set to depart the club when the season concludes.
The departures are reportedly part of a strategy to create some financial breathing space by offloading several of the club’s high earners and easing the ‘financial burden’.
Barcelona have been prevented from completing transfers in recent seasons due to their obligation to comply with La Liga’s Financial Fair Play regulations. Trimming their wage bill could afford them considerably more flexibility in the forthcoming transfer window.