Barcelona will send Rashford back to Manchester United, refusing to buy him permanently and only wanting to extend the loan. Bayern Munich is willing to sign him but under two conditions.

Per *Marca* in Spain, Barcelona is sending Rashford back to Manchester United, and his future at both clubs next season is uncertain. The Catalan club had until June 15 to buy him outright for €30 million (£26 million), but they have confirmed in advance that they will not make that payment.

Barcelona signed Anthony Gordon, Rashford's England teammate, from Newcastle United for €80 million. *Marca* reports that Gordon was chosen over Rashford because his defensive ability impressed manager Hansi Flick, while high-pressing is a weakness for Rashford. Additionally, there is an age gap of nearly four years—Rashford will turn 29 in October.

From a financial perspective, although the transfer fees for the two players differ significantly, their impact on the club's books is quite similar. Rashford's salary is high—despite a nearly 40% reduction, his annual amortization cost is still £10 million. Gordon's situation is the opposite: his salary is much lower, with an annual amortization of just £14 million, and he retains resale value, whereas Rashford has almost none.

Rashford's competitive form last season was decent, exceeding expectations in various metrics. He experienced a three-month dip in performance, but recovered towards the end of the season. However, Barcelona's management has doubts about his consistency and ultimately decided not to activate the buyout. Flick reportedly agreed with this decision, even though he would have liked to keep the player.

Barcelona told United they were willing to pay half of Rashford's buyout clause—£13 million—but United rejected the offer. As a result, Barcelona has opted to move on, preparing to negotiate a free transfer for Manchester City's Bernardo Silva, while also planning to offer over £100 million to Atlético Madrid for Álvarez to replace Robert Lewandowski as striker.

Barcelona has other attacking options, including Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Fermín López. Therefore, Rashford is not an indispensable signing.

Rashford himself would prefer to return to the Camp Nou, but he no longer has control over the situation. He has had to delete the Barcelona information from his social media bio, yet he still hasn't added "Manchester United." Barcelona could still bring Rashford back, but that would require United to make concessions—agreeing to another loan with a buyout clause next summer.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said: "Barcelona will not pay the €30 million buyout clause for Rashford, which expires in five days. Rashford will officially return to Manchester United, but Barcelona is still open to other solutions, such as another loan. If United leaves the door open, Barcelona is willing to renegotiate."

BBC's Simon Stone added: "Ten Hag has publicly said he would welcome Rashford back, but I would still be shocked if he ever plays for Manchester United again. Last summer, the feeling from all sides was that his Old Trafford career was effectively over."

He believes Rashford's future will not be resolved until after the World Cup: "The real key is the three-week period between England's World Cup exit and the start of Rashford's preseason training. By then, his future is expected to be sorted. Sources close to Rashford believe a return to Barcelona under a different arrangement than his current contract is not impossible."

The *Daily Mail* emphasizes that Barcelona has not told United they are no longer interested in signing Rashford. United can also look for other buyers for Rashford, hoping he performs well for England in the World Cup to boost his market value.

According to rumors, Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Chelsea are all interested in bringing him back to the Premier League. Villa had Rashford on loan during the second half of the 2024/25 season.

However, it is rumored that Rashford is not interested in playing for other Premier League clubs. If he must return to the Premier League, he would rather stay at Manchester United, where his weekly wage of £325,000 is the highest in the squad.

Real Madrid, who will be managed by José Mourinho, and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are among the other options mentioned. In particular, Bayern—according to Germany's *Bild*—is willing to pay €40 million for Rashford, a figure higher than Barcelona's buyout clause.

However, Bayern's interest comes with two conditions: first, Rashford himself must agree to join, and second, he must take a pay cut. If Rashford has to accept a salary reduction to move elsewhere, he will likely demand compensation from United for the difference, ultimately making the financial outcome of a transfer similar to joining Barcelona.

If United cannot find another club for Rashford after the World Cup, he will return to Carrington for preseason training. Last summer, Rashford was among the players denied entry to the dressing room alongside Sancho, Antony, and Malacia, but Ten Hag is reportedly not planning to do the same this time.

Avoiding such a situation seems in the best interests of both parties. Ironically, United is also looking for a left-winger but is not considering reinstating Rashford.

Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana faces a similar situation after a season-long loan at Trabzonspor. He helped the club win the Turkish Cup, but has no future at United. The number-one goalkeeper spot at United is held by Senna Lammers, the Belgian international who was named the best signing of the Premier League season.

Like Rashford, Onana is preparing to return for preseason next month if his future remains unresolved. Trabzonspor wants to keep him, and another loan is a possibility. United prefers a permanent sale but is unlikely to get much transfer fee. United signed him from Inter Milan for €50 million (£47 million); selling him for even half that amount would be considered a big success.