Rashford's Barcelona future in doubt as United weigh £34m Bayern offer and June deadline

Marcus Rashford faces an uncertain summer after his season-long loan at Barcelona, with the La Liga champions yet to trigger their £26 million purchase option ahead of a June 15 deadline — and Manchester United unwilling to accept a reduced fee or another temporary arrangement.

Rashford, 28, delivered a productive campaign in Spain, scoring 14 goals and registering 14 assists across domestic and Champions League competition. Despite that form, the path to a permanent move remains complicated. Barcelona are pushing for a cut-price deal below the agreed option fee, a position United have firmly rejected.

With the deadline approaching, Old Trafford executives face a decision on whether to hold firm or compromise. Bayern Munich have emerged as an alternative suitor, with the German champions reportedly willing to pay £34.5 million for the forward. Arsenal have also been linked with an interest, giving United potential leverage in any negotiation.

Rashford has already indicated his willingness to remain at Barcelona, having consented to halving his £325,000-a-week wages to make a permanent deal work. His current salary structure is incompatible with the pay framework being implemented at United under Ineos ownership, making a return to Old Trafford an unlikely outcome regardless of how the Barcelona talks conclude.

The arrival of Anthony Gordon at Barcelona on a permanent deal had raised questions about whether there was room for Rashford on the left flank. Gordon, a fellow England international and former Manchester United academy product, has spoken warmly of his conversations with Rashford during the transition. “He was just telling me how good the lads are there, the team spirit that they have, which I heard already from the people in Barca,” Gordon said, adding that Rashford had offered advice on where to live and described him as “very caring”.

With the World Cup on the horizon, United will also consider whether an international tournament could boost Rashford’s market value further — a factor that may influence how aggressively they pursue a sale this month rather than risk losing leverage as the summer window progresses.