Barcelona's New Marcus Rashford ‘Plan' Leaving Man Utd Loanee in the Dark
Barcelona are reportedly planning to strike a second loan deal for Marcus Rashford, although the player is not thought to be aware of this strategy which may not go down too well with Manchester United.
Rashford has performed admirably during his first season outside of England, racking up 13 goals and as many assists while making 23 starts across all competitions. However, his failure to truly cement himself as Barcelona's first-choice left winger-which is no easy task when Ballon d'Or contender Raphinha is his direct competition-has supposedly left the Catalans plotting alternative solutions.
The loan deal agreed with United last summer included an affordable $35.1 million (£26 million, €30 million) buyout clause, yet that appears to be an expense Barcelona are unwilling to pay. Sky Sports News claim that La Liga's leaders are "interested" in retaining Rashford's services for at least one more season on a secondary loan deal.
Any negotiations would be expected to take place once the current campaign concludes and Rashford officially returns to Manchester United. The Red Devils have previously ruled out the prospect of negotiating a lower release clause but are keen to offload the England international as swiftly as possible considering his wages are set to skyrocket in the likely event of Champions League qualification.
Would Man Utd Accept Second Marcus Rashford Loan?
Barcelona's proposal makes sense for those in Catalonia-Rashford is retained without the added expense of $35 million-but isn't quite as favorable for United.
By pushing a permanent exit one year further down the road, Rashford's valuation threatens to drop even further. The versatile winger is currently peak age, 28, and still has two years left on his contract, with the prospect of a good showing at the World Cup for England raising his price even further.
Another loan deal may not come with the guarantee of Rashford joining Barcelona next summer. Should the cash-strapped Catalans once again get cold feet, United would be left with a 29-year-old forward who only has 12 months left on his deal.
The Red Devils' stance is thought to be clear: either Barcelona trigger Rashford's release clause in full or he returns to Old Trafford. The most obvious outcome in that second scenario would be a new permanent home for Rashford-there are plenty of clubs who would surely be keen on snapping up the talented forward.
However, Michael Carrick has also opened United up to the prospect of giving the club's academy graduate a second chance. Rashford was only forced to explore his European fantasy after spectacularly falling out with Ruben Amorim, who has since been moved on. Carrick has openly asked for a new left winger this summer: Rashford would represent a cost-effective arrival.
It's unclear how Rashford would feel about a second loan. The proud Mancunian has made it abundantly clear that he wants to continue playing for Barcelona but MARCA report that the player was not consulted by the club about this proposal.
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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 5:10 AM.