29 Apr 2026 09:58:03
It is being reported on Sky Sports that Barcelona want Rashford on a second-season-long loan rather than buy him.
1.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 11:22:29
I fully expect us to tell Barca to take a long jump off a short plank. If we don't we will be a laughing stock and a easy mark in the future. Sell him elsewhere for more money, grasping soanish barstewards
2.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 11:41:40
I suppose it comes down to how much of the transfer fee buys out his contract, versus gives us a profit. Does anyone know?
3.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 12:03:45
This comes at the same time Barca are apparently looking at Alvarez, who would cost the best part of £100m, I'd expect. If they've got the cash for that, then they can pay the agreed fee for Rashford.
If not, I'm sure another club would, and Rashford would know that Barca isn't an option for him, as they've chosen not to sign him when it was entirely possible.
4.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 12:30:28
Or just keep him and get over it. He's good. (When he can be motivated).
5.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 13:14:41
Barcelona are always up to this type of stuff. They'll be in Rashford's ear trying to get him to agitate for the move - i.e. refusing to move anywhere other than Barcelona. They'll want us to be left with a choice between giving in to their demands, or being stuck with a player who doesn't want to be here, on huge wages.
If I were United, I'd tell Barca where to go, and give Rashford a choice between moving elsewhere or spending a year with the reserves.
6.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 14:08:53
I can't believe anybody would want Rashford back. Besides Lingard, he is probably the epitome of everything wrong with the last 15 years of player culture at the club.
7.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 15:24:11
Barcelona's loan deal for Marcus Rashford does not include an obligation to buy, but rather a non-mandatory option to purchase him for approximately £26m-EUR30m. He's paid approx. £325K per week. He'll never get that at Barce. He'll take his £17m for the 26/27 season and sign for them for free. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some obligation between Barce and Rashford already in place. There's not really anywhere else for him to go; no one's paying the money and no one's paying the wages. His contract must go down as one of the worst in the club's history. The best we can hope for is someone comes in for him; however, if he says no, there's nothing we can do, leaving the only option a Barce loan to get his wages off the books.
We've got Sancho, Casemiro, Malacia coming off the books, worth about £800k per week. Removing Rashford will push us to approx £1.1m. With maybe Ugarte and Zirkzee going, that is another £275k, so we'll have potentially £1.4m ish headroom for wages. To give some context, that weekly amount is higher than Everton's, with 10 teams having a lower weekly wage bill. We'll be able to sign some decent players, hopefully.
8.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 17:24:41
We will have plenty of wage headroom, at least from an FFP point of view. Being in the Champions League, total squad cost can be up to 70% of revenues, which should comfortably exceed £700m next year. Right now, I believe squad cost is around 50% of total revenues. We'll be losing at least £100m a year in existing squad cost. Casemiro alone is £60m wages + amortization; Sancho's and Hojlund's amortization is around a further £30. That's before considering other sales.
Zirkzee? Ugarte? Onana? We'll be more limited by debt and borrowing facilities than by squad cost.
Rashford is on the books for 2 more years. That's a big nut if he returns, but it's probably manageable. I'm more confident that there'll be a solution of some sort under this management team than under the previous one. If Barcelona will only go to a loan, how about a full 2 year one? Does that ever happen? Wages paid plus a loan fee?
9.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 20:41:21
God almighty, Eric. We have to move on. If there's one thing everyone should agree on, it's that the squad is much better after Amorim than before. That's because the toxic players were shipped out. Why take one back in? Just baffling.
10.) 29 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026 21:11:27
Understand all that. If indeed Rashford was a bad apple, then good riddance. I have no knowledge of whether he was or not.
Just wondering what Emery, Tuchel and Flick all see in him that many on here don't.
11.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 01:17:17
DonRed, do you know if he's a toxic person/player?
12.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 07:22:00
Angel, of course I don't, but inference is a thing! Rashford most obviously wasn't putting in the effort for a long time. He didn't track back, and it was very clear he wasn't following the coaches' instructions. That's part of the toxicity I'm referring to. And, many at the club took that view, which is why he was loaned out.
13.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 10:09:11
A club that has proven to have no shame in transfer negotiations and a club who has the naivety to label assets it wants to sell as a "bomb squad".
Not surprised it has come to this, lol.
If the club is not serious about bringing Rashford back, then they are, within reason, going to have to go along with what Barcelona want.
14.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 10:40:48
I wouldn't have him as a toxic player or person whatsoever.
It was clear to see he had lost faith and interest in the club, and I think there are many mitigating factors. I mean, even after not playing again since that November, I believe he had 7 goals and was our top scorer for some time that season, even after leaving.
He's been very good for Barcelona, but they are doing what they do.
They don't have a lot of money, they have other targets, and they want to keep Rashford, but at the cheapest cost necessary. They know that the club and player want to fully part, and United need to release funds, so they do hold a lot of power in this position.
I'd like to see the club stand their ground here, but their hands may just be tied unless they say either they pay or you come back.
15.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 10:46:17
Barcelona are a funny institution, they act broke with us, then spend millions elsewhere, they'll also sign players, then spend months getting others to lower their wages just to fit them in. Stump up or jog on. It's as simple as that. They wouldn't do us in favours if the show was on the other foot!
16.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 14:03:46
Tim, if they jog on, are you okay with Rashford coming back? Because if he doesn't go to Barcelona, that's what's likely going to happen.
17.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 15:03:47
I get u, Angel, but we can't just bow to their demands. We agreed a loan with a buy option, the fee is more than reasonable given his age and profile. We can't just give him away either, as that will set a precedent for future deals too.
18.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 18:16:09
Okay, so for those not aware, Rashford turned up worse for wear for training a couple of times and was a negative influence and voice resisting leadership efforts, and deliberately doing dumb s*** like heading out to clubs and even abroad without permission for breaks.
He also had his personal life heading down the tubes, broke up with his partner, acted like a baller and almost got himself in a lot of trouble in Moss Side one day when his siblings got taxed for their cars and watches, and generally showed awful judgment and attitude.
I'm from Wythenshawe, same as him, and he burned a good few bridges also with people who were very much behind him.
I would never trust him again. But I would also use the headroom we have financially now to ensure we cannot be blackmailed by using him as an example of "don't bite the hand that's fed you or you will get bitten back". If he and Barca try the blackmail game, let him be the miserable one, training one for a year as an example of what happens if you don't learn to respect your employer that put you where you are now.
19.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 20:12:46
You in the know, Captain Obvious, yeah? ?
20.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 20:13:47
Tim, I know what you're saying, but it's not an obligation.
Tough place to be in. I agree, he needs to move on, for both parties, but Barca know what they're doing.
21.) 30 Apr 2026
30 Apr 2026 21:42:25
I get u, angel... Just hope we can get the players out that we need to and for decent fees. Barca are a right ***** to deal with, maybe other teams might enter the mix. Fingers crossed.
22.) 01 May 2026
01 May 2026 03:14:53
Yes angel, I am. I know you can be a little slow on the uptake sometimes, so I will say it sssslowllllllyyyy for you.
None of what I said is a secret, but in my case its all from personal knowledge.
You know what they say, better to keep.your mouth shut and people.think you're a fool than open it and prove it beyond any doubt.
23.) 01 May 2026
01 May 2026 08:24:20
Nice1, Captain. ?
24.) 02 May 2026
02 May 2026 13:07:40
Rashford has a preference to play elsewhere. That alone says he should not be near our squad, and I'm very confident he won't be. Call his bluff, and Barcelona's, and if he doesn't move, just leave him in a Sancho situation where he trains with the reserves. It's expensive, but 2 can play at a game of brinkmanship.
There will be other takers for him on loan at worst. Personally, I'd cut ties with Barca; tell Rashford they don't meet our valuations. Tell him to find another option, or he is all alone in a bomb squad.
If he thinks he can force the situation, then put him straight, and tell him we won't deal with Barcelona until they meet the valuation. Rashford will then need to find another option. I'd loan him or sell him to any other club in the world except Barcelona. If he won't go elsewhere, then just leave him in the reserves.
Rashford does not want to play for United, he had other preferences, so that alone should be enough for any of his supporters to drop support for him.
25.) 02 May 2026
02 May 2026 13:21:36
Thanks for the insights Co, nice to get a local perspective confirming what some of us have heard from elsewhere.
The 'poor Marcus the victim' narrative has been pedalled by his PR crew and is a very false narrative from what I've heard.
If Barca don't fancy him for 26m, it tells you all you need to know.
I think any club would be very wary of giving him a contract.
26.) 03 May 2026
03 May 2026 07:17:02
I don't even want him near the reserves. Gardening leave if necessary.
27.) 03 May 2026
03 May 2026 15:29:53
I'm not sure they can do that, Fizz.
There is the option of canceling his contract mutually.
He has shown a huge amount of disrespect to his team-mates, coaches (several), and the fans by not putting in maximum effort and doing his own thing.
He has decent ability, no doubt, and will get his share of goals and assists at Barcelona as a good squad player.
That does not command 300k pw at Barcelona, so if he wants to play there he should accept that and reduce his demands and get paid for the role he is playing. He will play a squad role there, and that's probably 100k pw. At a push.
I get he doesn't want to give up his big contract and you might ask why should he? Well, if he wants to sign for them he can only demand what squad/rotation players are paid. He can't command superstar wages.
I've read he is prepared to take some sort of reduction, but perhaps he needs to go deeper to make a move happen.
I can see it dragging on all summer with him going back there or elsewhere on loan.
Our permanent coach may want him to stay and trust him to rebuild a few bridges.
If our permanent coach wants him to stay, then that's something sceptics like me will have to accept and hope he can regain fans' trust and respect.
I hope and I'm confident that he won't be here next season, but I'm not confident that we will get the ideal terms.
For me, it is a no brainer deal for Barcelona at 26m if they can get him down to 150k pw. They can really easily freeze him out if he is not doing great and flip him on in a year and get a profit without the buying clubs facing a 300k pw wage demand.