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Manchester United are expected to permanently resolve Marcus Rashford’s future at the end of this season. The Englishman is currently on a season-long loan at Barcelona, who reportedly have an option to make his stay permanent for €30 million.
Rashford rose through the ranks at Old Trafford and burst onto the scene under former manager Louis van Gaal. He continued his upward trajectory under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, before registering the season of his life under Erik ten Hag.
The Englishman scored 30 goals and registered 12 assists in 56 appearances across competitions in the 2022/23 campaign, prompting the Red Devils to hand him a new deal. However, Rashford failed to replicate that form, and the Dutch manager’s departure proved to be a turning point in his career.
The 28 year old had a fallout with Ten Hag’s replacement Ruben Amorim and was shipped off on loan to Aston Villa in January 2025, before moving to Camp Nou last summer. The move to LaLiga has rejuvenated Rashford and turned out to be a masterstroke.
Rediscovering his form in LaLiga
Rashford has been a revelation for Barcelona so far and has adapted very well to Spanish football. The Englishman is now one of Hansi Flick’s most trusted men and has been a regular in the first team this season.
Rashford has registered 10 goals and 13 assists in 39 games across competitions for the Catalans so far, 21 of which have been starts.
Marcus Rashford Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Second Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaLiga | 24 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2 | – | – | 1,338′ |
| UEFA Champions League | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | – | – | – | 484′ |
| Copa del Rey | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 249′ |
| Supercopa | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | 32′ |
| Total | 39 | 21 | 10 | 13 | 2 | – | – | 2,103′ |
Source: Transfermarkt.
His performances have prompted talk of a lengthier stay at Camp Nou, although contrasting updates have emerged from Spain. It has been suggested that Barcelona are hoping to secure him for a lesser fee, while they are also proposing another loan spell.
Meanwhile, alternative reports have stated that United are considering reintegrating the player into their squad next season. Rashford’s form may have made it easier for the Red Devils to offload the player should they still so desire, and it now appears that an old admirer has re-entered the race.
Aston Villa want Rashford
According to SportsBoom, Aston Villa are ready to make a move for Rashford if Jadon Sancho does not extend his stay at Villa Park. The report states: “Aston Villa will try an audacious swoop for Marcus Rashford if they fail to sign Jadon Sancho this summer, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.”
Sancho is on a season-long loan with the Birmingham club, and his contract with United expires this summer. The Red Devils will not extend his stay, so the player is set to be available for free this summer.
Villa have already held talks to tie the 26 year old down to a new deal, but Borussia Dortmund’s presence could ruin their plans. In such a scenario, the Villans are ready to turn to Rashford, with Unai Emery confident that he can convince the player to return to England.
“It is understood Rashford prefers life out of the limelight of the English tabloid media. But Emery believes he can convince the 28-year-old, who has scored ten goals for the La Liga club this term, to return to his homeland if Barca decide against pulling the trigger to make his loan permanent.”
Final Thoughts
Rashford’s Old Trafford career is all but over and it is in the best interests of all parties involved that he moves on. However, United must be careful about allowing him to join a Premier League rival.
Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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