Barcelona Demand Another Rashford Loan as Man Utd Seek Permanent Exit
Barcelona have informed Manchester United they will only keep Marcus Rashford on another loan deal, setting up a familiar transfer standoff that leaves the England winger's long-term future in doubt ahead of the World Cup.
Spanish Champions Refuse Permanent Deal
Transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Barcelona will not trigger the £26million buy option in Rashford's contract before the June 15 deadline. Instead, the Catalan club have made a second loan spell their non-negotiable condition for keeping the 28-year-old at the Nou Camp.
It is a arrangement that suits Barcelona's finances but does little for a Manchester United side desperate to get Rashford's £325,000-per-week wages off their books for good. Old Trafford executives have been clear since March: they want a permanent sale, not another temporary arrangement that delays the inevitable.
Rashford Returns to Manchester After World Cup
As things stand, Rashford will return to Manchester United once England's World Cup campaign concludes. The winger, who rebuilt his form during his loan spell in Spain, now faces the prospect of heading back to a club that has made no secret of its desire to part ways permanently.
Romano explained the current impasse on his YouTube channel: