Barcelona have failed to activate the purchase option in Rashford’s loan agreement, meaning they no longer have the unilateral right to sign the forward for a fixed fee. The Catalan giants had until March 31 to inform Manchester United of their intent to trigger the €30 million (£26m/$35m) clause, but that date has passed without any official move from the La Liga leaders, according to Cadena SER.
The situation leaves the 28-year-old in a state of limbo after what appeared to be a successful rehabilitation of his career in Spain. While sporting director Deco had previously confirmed the existence of the buy option, his failure to act before the deadline suggests that economic pressures at the club are once again dictating their transfer strategy. The report suggests Barcelona are interested in a second loan deal, but United have little interest in such an arrangement, preferring a clean break and a permanent sale this summer.