Barcelona stalemate over Rashford fee leaves Manchester United in transfer limbo

Manchester United’s summer transfer business has been thrown into uncertainty after Barcelona refused to honour the agreed £24 million fee to sign Marcus Rashford permanently, with the club now fearing the situation may not be resolved until after the World Cup.

Rashford joined Barcelona on loan this season and the two clubs had agreed a permanent deal worth £24 million. However, Barcelona — having just spent £70 million signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle — are now seeking to renegotiate, proposing either another 12-month loan, a reduced fee, or the original figure spread across several instalments. United have rejected all three options and, according to sources, have grown increasingly exasperated with Barcelona’s approach.

The impasse has reached the point where United are considering walking away from the deal entirely and selling Rashford to another club. The complication, however, is that any alternative buyer would likely be expected to pay the same £24 million figure previously agreed with Barcelona.

Rashford, 28, is contracted at Old Trafford until 2028 on a reported £325,000 a week, and it is understood he has no desire to return to Manchester United. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is keen to remove him from the wage bill, and the club had been counting on a permanent Barcelona sale to help shape a transfer budget for incoming manager Michael Carrick.

Four Premier League clubs — Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham — are understood to be monitoring developments closely. United, however, are reluctant to strengthen a direct English rival, while Rashford himself is said to have no interest in joining either Newcastle or Tottenham.

On the pitch, Rashford delivered a solid debut season at the Camp Nou, registering 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances. He developed a strong working relationship with manager Hansi Flick, who is keen to retain him, though the arrival of Gordon has complicated Barcelona’s financial calculations.

Rashford is currently training privately with MLS side Inter Miami ahead of joining the England squad for their pre-World Cup camp in Florida, which begins Monday. Thomas Tuchel’s side open their tournament against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June, with further group games to follow against Ghana and Panama.