Manchester United is willing to sell Rashford for £24 million, but not to Barcelona! Report: his World Cup goal is still aimed at attracting Barcelona

In the first round of the World Cup group stage, England defeated Croatia 4-2. Manchester United winger Rashford came off the bench and scored the decisive final goal. His performance outperformed that of starting left winger and new Barcelona signing Anthony Gordon. Of course, this was also because Tuchel utilized Rashford’s strengths—he is well-suited to coming off the bench with a lead and playing on the counterattack.

Manchester United’s management was delighted to see Rashford score, believing it could boost his appeal. The 28-year-old Rashford himself was also happy, as he privately told those close to him that he now needs to work hard and excel, especially by embracing the role of a "super substitute," which could help attract Barcelona to pursue him again—they haven’t given up on their dream of returning to the Camp Nou.

It is worth noting that Barcelona’s official social media account not only mentioned Gordon’s participation in the match but also reported on Rashford’s goal, even using an image of the player who had been sent back to Manchester United rather than their new signing Gordon!

Although Barcelona have signed Gordon, Brazilian winger Raphinha could still transfer to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. The club sees Raphinha as their main target this summer and is looking to speed up negotiations to bring him in from Barcelona. Brazilian outlet "Globo Esporte" reports that Al Hilal was interested in a €100 million blockbuster move for Raphinha two years ago and plans to try again in the summer window.

Raphinha confirmed the past approach from Saudi financiers: "The proposal from Saudi Arabia shocked me—it could provide financial security for me, my parents, my son, and many others." Now at 29, he may consider planning for the future.

It is claimed that Al Hilal is preparing to offer Raphinha a two-year contract worth a total of €170 million, quadrupling his current salary at Barcelona. Raphinha, meanwhile, told the team coached by Simone Inzaghi that he will decide his future after the World Cup.

If Raphinha leaves via transfer, Barcelona will have both money and room to sign new players again. Ideally, Rashford does not intend to stay at Manchester United; he is willing to return to Camp Nou, and even if only as a substitute, he would accept a pay cut to join.

There are rumors that several Premier League clubs are also monitoring Rashford, who has a £40 million release clause in his contract with Manchester United. However, according to transfer expert Jeremy Cross, Manchester United has informed the outside world through intermediaries that there is no need to pay that amount—an offer of around £24 million (€28 million) would be enough to take the England international away.

Of course, this price from Manchester United currently does not apply to Barcelona. The club is unwilling to let Rashford join them for less than the original €30 million (£26 million) buyout clause. Naturally, as the transfer window progresses, the Red Devils’ position may change depending on the situation.

Arsenal, the Premier League champions once rumored to be interested in Rashford, have now lost their enthusiasm. Rashford himself is not inclined to join any other Premier League club, especially Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, which are not in European competitions. If he must stay in England, he will choose to honor his £325,000-per-week top salary contract with Manchester United, which has two years remaining.

Manchester United naturally does not want such an outcome, because if they fail to offload Rashford, the club would not only lose £24 million in pure transfer profit but also have to pay a total of £34 million in wages over two years—resulting in a loss of nearly £60 million in funds! It is certain that the Rashford transfer saga will continue to unfold after the World Cup.