Marcus Rashford digs at Man United in new message
Marcus Rashford has delivered a thinly-veiled swipe at Man United as he opened up on his future at Barcelona.
United loaned Rashford to Barcelona in the summer, with the deal reportedly including an option to buy set at a fee worth around £30million.
The winger has enjoyed a stunning start to life in Spain, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in 24 games across all competitions.
Barcelona are expected to sign Rashford, although the Catalan giants have struggled financially in recent years.
PSG have also shown interest in Rashford, in case the England international does ultimately return to Manchester United.
Marcus Rashford keen to stay at Barcelona
Some would have pegged Rashford as a one-club man with Manchester United, after he broke through from the academy and became a star for the first team.
But over the course of a year or two, his future at Old Trafford fell apart, with the arrival of Ruben Amorim serving as a final nail in the coffin.
| Marcus Rashford | La Liga 2025-26 |
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 6 |
| Shots | 51 |
| Chances created | 28 |
| Successful dribbles | 18 |
The Portuguese head coach left the forward out of his squad, with the Red Devils eventually sanctioning a loan move to Aston Villa in January.
Rashford’s time at Villa Park was positive, but decision-makers opted against making him a permanent addition to Unai Emery‘s squad.
A choice that they may well now regret, considering how the forward has performed in Spain.
The 28-year-old netted a brace against Newcastle United in the Champions League, and has been a regular performer for table-topping Barcelona in La Liga.
In an interview with SPORT, Rashford admitted: “Of course what I want is to stay at Barca. It’s an end goal, but it’s not the reason why I’m training hard and giving it my best.
“The purpose is to win. Barca is a huge, fantastic club, built to win titles.”
Rashford shares what has changed for him this season
The 2022-23 season was a spectacular one for Rashford. The forward scored 30 goals and provided eight assists across all competitions for Manchester United.
It was the forward at his very best for the Red Devils, playing largely on the left, and using his devastating pace and stunning finishing to outshine even Cristiano Ronaldo.
But something appeared to change in the following season. The hunger was lost, and those shots that had gone in just months ago started to drift wide.
Rashford still scored seven goals in the Premier League, but the writing was on the wall for his Manchester United career when Amorim dropped him from the squad after his arrival in the following campaign.
Speaking about what is different for him at Barcelona and in what appears to be a dig at Man United, he said: “There is pressure here, but it is not a negative pressure. It’s the one you want as a player, the one I want and have always wanted as a footballer.
“I can’t be in a place where important objectives are not demanded of you. For me, it is more difficult to be motivated and give my best at a club where the demand is not maximum.”
Rashford is likely not referring to his former club, but it would be hard for even the staunchest Manchester United fan to argue that the environment at Barcelona is not more likely to be conducive to a confident player.