Raphinha's potential Al-Hilal move reopens Barcelona door for Rashford

Marcus Rashford’s chances of a permanent move to Barcelona appeared to have collapsed after the Spanish club allowed their £26m purchase option to expire and moved instead to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle for £70m. Now, reported interest from Al-Hilal in Barcelona winger Raphinha has reopened the possibility.

According to GE Globo, Saudi side Al-Hilal are keen to sign the Brazilian international, and Raphinha is reportedly willing to enter talks — though he would delay any formal discussions until after the World Cup. Barcelona were previously persuaded to keep Raphinha when Saudi interest emerged in 2024, but the prospect of a significant fee this time around could change the club’s calculations.

Should Raphinha depart the Camp Nou, Barcelona may reconsider a move for Rashford, though any deal would require fresh negotiations with Manchester United. The Red Devils are holding firm on a permanent fee of around £40m and have ruled out a second loan arrangement.

Rashford, 28, spent last season at Barcelona on loan, scoring 14 goals, but the tally was not enough to convince the club to trigger their option. With his loan spell now over, he is set to return to Old Trafford after his World Cup commitments, where discussions with United’s hierarchy over his future are expected.

The England forward is understood to remain determined to leave the club permanently despite a managerial change at Old Trafford. His options in England are limited: he has been blocked from joining Manchester City or Liverpool, while Arsenal have moved on from their earlier interest.

Raphinha, for his part, pushed back strongly last month on speculation about his own future. Speaking to ESPN, the 29-year-old said: “Ever since I arrived at Barcelona, from day one there’s been speculation that I’m going to leave this club. I think people don’t really like seeing me here. Especially the press.”

Whether Al-Hilal’s pursuit intensifies after the World Cup will go a long way to determining whether Rashford’s Barcelona dream remains alive or is definitively over.