‘Rashford plans Man United return amid Barcelona uncertainty after Williams move’
Marcus Rashford is planning his return to Man United amid renewed uncertainty over his future thanks to Barcelona’s move for Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams.
Rashford spent the second-half of last season on loan at Aston Villa after a fallout with United boss Ruben Amorim led him to depart Old Trafford for the first time in his career.
He impressed in his short stint at Villa Park, with four goals and six assists in 17 appearances in all competitions, but his United future has still remained unclear despite their own struggles under Amorim.
Football Insider have previously revealed that Tottenham are plotting a move to sign Rashford this summer, but Barcelona have been leading the chase for the Red Devils man’s signature following their La Liga title triumph.
Rashford could return to Man United training for pre-season
Football Insider revealed on 4 June that Rashford would prefer to join Barcelona over any other club this summer, but his move to the La Liga champions is now looking uncertain following recent developments.
The Times have reported that the 27-year-old is waiting to hear from Barcelona about if they are still interested in signing him amid their move to sign Williams from Athletic Bilbao – personal terms have been agreed and his release clause is considered reachable, according to The Athletic.
Rashford has reportedly not given up hope of moving to the Catalan giants, despite playing in a similar position to the 22-year-old, but is said to be planning to return to United’s Carrington training base for the start of pre-season if he cannot secure a move by the start of July.
The Red Devils are hoping to sell him for around £40million this summer, but Football Insider have previously revealed that club chiefs would be open to letting him leave on loan if a suitable bid does not come their way, despite Rashford only having a year left on his United contract.
Rashford would benefit from a move abroad amid his United woes
Football Insider verdict
The last few years of Rashford’s career have certainly not gone to plan, but his spell at Villa saw him back playing near his best at times in a much more settled and less pressure-driven environment compared to that of United.
There looks to be no way back for him at Old Trafford, which is no surprise after Amorim questioned his professionalism in December, and while he will clearly want to leave, a move to the continent should be his priority over joining Spurs or any English club that may potentially be interested in his services.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 426 | 138 | 77 |
Rashford needs a stellar season to thrust himself back into Thomas Tuchel’s England plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and moving to a huge European side like Barcelona would make a lot of sense as he looks to rediscover his previous form shown at United.
The 27-year-old would undoubtedly benefit from a change of scenery and culture, and the chance to compete for the top prizes is something that he has not had in a long time, if ever, at Old Trafford.
Rashford has also been linked with a move to Inter Milan [Manchester Evening Standard], which would also be a good transfer for his career, but the Serie A side reportedly only want to sign him on loan this summer, so the likelihood of a deal materialising is unclear at this stage.