Manchester United are ‘now open’ to changing the terms of Marcus Rashford’s permanent move to FC Barcelona for one reason, according to reports.
Rashford initially joined Barcelona from Man Utd on loan, and it remains to be seen whether he will secure a permanent move to the Spanish giants.
The England international’s loan move included a £26m (€30m) purchase option, and he certainly did enough to justify a permanent deal during the 2025/26 campaign, having contributed 14 goals and 14 assists across all competitions.
However, it has been widely reported that Barcelona are cheekily attempting to retain Rashford on more favourable terms, which is pretty audacious considering they have just spent £69m (€80m) to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United.
However, Man Utd have rightly remained steadfast in insisting that Rashford’s £26m option is paid in full, having recently informed Barcelona that they will ‘block’ an alternative deal.
So, it is quite surprising that Spanish outlet Sport are reporting that Man Utd are ‘now open’ to ‘making concessions’ and letting Rashford remain at Barcelona beyond this season.
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Reason for Man Utd U-turn revealed as club chief sends message to Barcelona
According to the report, Man Utd have been ‘caught off guard’ by Barcelona ‘refusing’ to pay £26m for Rashford, which again is puzzling considering this has consistently been their stance for months.
But the Red Devils are allegedly willing to cave because Rashford ‘absolutely prioritises’ staying at Barcelona and has decided to ‘close off’ other options.
It is hard to see Man Utd’s position on Rashford changing this dramatically, especially because club chief Omar Berrada has intimated this week that they will not be held to ransom in negotiations with other clubs over transfers.
Berrada said on Man Utd’s YouTube channel: “I think the template for what we did last summer will be replicated in many ways. You always go into a window, you don’t know how you’re going to come out of it, but you have to be really prepared. You have to have a clear plan.
“You have to know exactly what positions you’re looking to strengthen. And you also have to be prepared for any eventuality, there could be exits that we’re not expecting, there could be opportunities in the market that perhaps weren’t there at the beginning of the window. So, we have to be ready.
“We have to be agile and flexible, but we have a clear plan. Jason Wilcox and his team are very well set up to to execute that plan. And I do think that what we saw last season is a good way forward for us, which is we want a mix of experience and youth.
“We want a mix of players that have demonstrated they can perform in the Premier League and perhaps also with players that are doing very well outside the Premier League. But we will always do it within our terms and ensuring that whatever decision we take is not just for the short term but also for the long term.”
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