Barcelona will reportedly not exercise their £26 million option to sign Marcus Rashford permanently from Manchester United this summer. The England forward has already removed any reference to the Catalan club from his Instagram bio.
Rashford's Future Uncertain
Rashford, 28, is now poised to return to United following this summer's World Cup, unless a transfer can be arranged with another club. The option to sign him is believed to expire on Monday, two days before England's opening match against Croatia.
Barcelona Opt for Gordon
The Spanish champions have effectively chosen Anthony Gordon over Rashford. They finalized a £60 million deal with Newcastle United late last month. Marca reports that ties between Rashford and Barcelona have been severed, with the club bidding farewell to last season's loanee as he will not return next term.
The acquisition of Gordon indicated Barcelona's interest in signing Rashford permanently was dwindling. Both players occupy the same position, with Raphinha expected to be the starting striker. The financial implications of Gordon's signing also played a part, according to the Mirror.
When factoring in wages, both would cost roughly the same amount annually. However, Gordon is three-and-a-half years younger than Rashford and presses more effectively, which is what head coach Hansi Flick desires. Flick's view was crucial to the decision not to trigger the option. Concerns also emerged within the club's sporting hierarchy, including Deco and Flick.
Rashford's Conversations with Gordon
Rashford has spoken to Gordon about Barcelona while in England's squad, despite the uncertainty surrounding his future. Gordon revealed to talkSPORT: "He was just telling me how good the lads are there, the team spirit that they have, which I heard already from the people at Barca. So I'm really looking forward to joining up with them. He was also telling me about the city, places to live. He's a lovely guy, very caring. So he was just giving me a bit of information."
Rashford stated as far back as October last year that he wished to remain at Barcelona. When asked during a chat with ESPN if he wanted to stay, he replied: "Oh yeah, for sure. I'm enjoying this football club, and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player, it is an honour."
