FOOTBALL
By Piyush Wankhede
Posted on June 6, 2026 4:00 pm | Updated on June 5, 2026 9:53 pm Arsenal could benefit from Barcelona’s refusal to pay £26m for Marcus Rashford.
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Barcelona move for Marcus Rashford feels stalled at the moment. As a result, the Gunners remain keen if an opportunity arises to sign the winger from Manchester United.
The ‘Marcus Rashford’ situation at United and Barcelona
As reported by sky sports, Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on a season long loan for 2025/26. This loan includes an option to make this move permanent for the 28-year-old winger at a price of £26 million. United are in a tough phase of rebuild, and then-manager Ruben Amorim, felt Rashford did not fit in his plans. As reported by BBC, Ruben Amorim was sacked by the club in January 2026 due to poor results.
Later, Michael Carrick was appointed as the interim manager at United. Under Michael Carrick, United saw some good performances followed by a massive leap in the points table as they finished third in the Premier League this season. As reported by football365, Manchester United have earned more points than any other club in the Premier League since Michael Carrick took charge. Manchester United have officially confirmed the appointment of Carrick as a head coach till 2028. As reported by Goal, with the coming of Carrick as the man in charge, the return of Marcus Rashford to Old Trafford seems possible.
Barcelona have signed Gordon from Newcastle United for £69 million. Now they also plan to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid. This deal would cost a lot and can impact Rashford’s move to Barcelona. Barca might choose not to use the option to buy Marcus Rashford. Instead they might save funds for other options in the market. As reported by Yahoo sports, they want to pay only £13 million for him. This is too low considering they paid £69 million to Newcastle for Gordon.
Rashford’s numbers at Barcelona
Rashford’s stats across all competitions in 2025/26 for Barcelona as reported by FotMob:
Competition Appearances Goals Assists Successful dribbles
La Liga 32 8 7 30
UCL 11 5 3 11
Copa del Rey 4 1 1 5
It is visible that Rashford has played very well during his loan at Barcelona. It feels that the stance to negotiate the buy option clause of £26 million is disrespectful to United. As reported by Mirror, United are ‘angry’ over these new changes around the deal by Barcelona. The Red Devils will see offers from other clubs and will not give in to Barcelona’s demands.
News around Rashford’s transfer to Arsenal emerges
As reported by Goal, Arsenal can plan to sign Marcus Rashford as his move to Barcelona feels unlikely at this moment. The Gunners want to add wingers to their squad and Marcus Rashford is available on the market. As reported by METRO, former Manchester United football player and legend Paul Scholes feels this will be a ‘great move‘ for both parties. Meanwhile, reports from football365, claim that Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has asked Rashford to accept the offer from Arsenal as he may or may not be in Flick’s plans for the future.
However, this move can attract criticism from the fans. Marcus Rashford came through Man Utd’s academy, now a move to a rival club like Arsenal might not be seen well by United fans. People might relate it to Van Persie leaving Arsenal to join Manchester United which was seen as a betrayal by the Gunners fans. As of now, the Rashford situation seems open to any possibility but for sure any move will be followed by talks around it.
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Piyush Wankhede
Piyush Wankhede is a Junior Football Writer at Six Sports, contributing articles focused on football news, match developments, and player performances. As an emerging voice in football journalism, he provides clear and engaging coverage that helps readers stay updated on key events and stories in the sport. Through his work at Six Sports, Piyush delivers concise match reports, player analyses, and feature pieces that highlight trends and narratives shaping modern football. His writing combines attention to detail with accessibility, making it easy for readers to follow football developments.
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