FC Barcelona wants to keep Marcus Rashford (29, Barcelona). The loan was for "one season," but the plan aims for more.
The Athletic reported on the 10th (Korea time) that FC Barcelona is considering ways to retain Marcus Rashford for next season as well. Rashford is currently on loan from Manchester United to Barcelona, and the contract includes a 30 million euro (about 50.9 billion won) permanent transfer option after the end of the 2025-2026 season.
Rashford has firmly established himself at Barcelona. Under coach Hansi Flick's team, he has appeared in 26 official matches, recording seven goals and 11 assists. He was used consistently both as a starter and a substitute, showing his presence in attack development and finishing. That is why Barcelona does not see him as just a "short-term loan asset."
Interestingly, Rashford's future is unfolding independently of Manchester United's managerial changes. Rashford lost his place under former coach André Amaroim, but The Athletic reported that "his departure was not solely Amaroim's decision." The club, at an institutional level, demanded greater commitment and consistency from Rashford, and his high salary was also cited as a burden.
Amaroim was sacked, but that did not immediately increase the likelihood of Rashford returning to Manchester United.
Rashford did not wear the Manchester United jersey after the Europa League match against Viktoria Plzeň on Dec. 12, 2024. He was later loaned to Aston Villa and spent the latter half of last season there, and under Amaroim he was included in the so-called "bomb squad" along with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Tyrell Malacia, and Jadon Sancho and trained separately from the first team. Ultimately, the end point of that journey was Barcelona.
Barcelona is covering Rashford's full salary according to the loan agreement terms. Expectations are high because of that. In fact, Rashford started 12 times in La Liga this season, and Barcelona currently leads, four points ahead of Real Madrid.
Rashford has not hidden his desire to stay at Barcelona either. In an interview with ESPN last October, he said, "I definitely want to stay. I'm enjoying football at this club," and noted, "For anyone who loves football, Barcelona is historically one of the most important clubs." He also frankly acknowledged that he needed a change after spending most of his career at Manchester United.
Since his debut in 2015, Rashford has appeared in 426 matches for Manchester United, scoring 138 goals. He is now writing a new chapter at Barcelona. The loan was a temporary measure, but the trend is increasingly leaning toward a "permanent transfer."
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