The chances of Marcus Rashford remaining at Barcelona next season are increasingly diminishing, as news indicates that the Catalan club has decided not to activate the option to purchase the player from Manchester United.
Rashford is currently spending a loan spell at Barcelona, with a clause allowing the club to buy out his contract for €30 million.
The newspaper “Marca” reported that Barcelona’s sports administration is no longer confident in investing the amount of 30 million euros stipulated in the purchase clause agreed upon with Manchester United last summer.
The Catalan club believes that this amount is high in light of the current economic situation, while Manchester adheres to its position: “Either the amount is paid or the striker returns to Old Trafford.”
The newspaper added: “The final decision has not been taken yet. The matter awaits an important meeting between Deco and Hansi Flick, where the decision-making process regarding the next project will begin.”
She continued: “What seemed like an almost certain deal before Christmas has declined to the point where it has become almost impossible today.”
The newspaper close to the Catalan club reported that the main reason behind considering not completing the purchase of “Rashford” is the noticeable decline in the level of the English international player during the year 2026.
She explained: “His numbers are far from those he achieved in his first months as a player in Barcelona, where he scored only two goals in the last 16 matches.”
In addition, he was unable to take advantage of Rafinha’s absence due to injury to prove himself as a key player in the offensive line.
This decline in performance raised doubts among the sports administration, which no longer considered him a crucial element.
In addition to the financial aspect of the deal, although 30 million euros may be considered an appropriate price in the market, its value, according to the “Transfermarkt” website, increases by 10 million euros, which means that the deal will have a significant impact on the club’s budget.
From a financial fair play perspective, the Rashford deal would represent a cost of approximately 25 million euros, including salary and annual transfer value depreciation, which is a large number for a player whose performance is not guaranteed.
Discussion about the deal will not be reopened unless the player’s performance improves radically during the final stages of the season, knowing that the opportunity available is very limited as the end of the season approaches and only a few decisive matches remain.
