United's £40m Rashford price is a gentleman's agreement, not a release clause

Manchester United’s widely reported £40million ‘release clause’ for Marcus Rashford is not a formal contractual term but a gentleman’s agreement between the player and the club, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Rashford, 28, signed his current deal in July 2023 off the back of a 30-goal season, securing wages of £325,000 a week. At that point, inserting a £40million release clause would have been commercially absurd — a figure that could have been triggered almost immediately given his market value at the time. Instead, United quoted Aston Villa that sum when Rashford joined on loan in January 2025, and both the player and his representatives have since been made aware that £40million is the threshold at which the club would sanction a permanent exit — with one significant caveat: that price would not apply if Manchester City or Liverpool came calling.

A return loan to Barcelona has been ruled out. Despite United’s openness to reconsidering a temporary arrangement late in the window if a compelling offer with a strong option or obligation to buy were tabled, the club will not entertain another short-term deal with the Catalan side following the acrimony of last season’s loan spell.

On the Mateus Fernandes front, United remain interested in the 21-year-old West Ham midfielder but have yet to submit a formal bid. The Hammers, who were relegated from the Premier League, have placed a valuation of at least £80million on the Portugal international — a figure United are in no hurry to meet.

The reason for that patience is rooted in West Ham’s finances. The club posted an accounting loss of £104.2million for their last financial year, and their February financial report explicitly flagged that further player trading would be required regardless of their top-flight status. Having since been relegated, the club face a likely cash shortfall and may need to sell before June 30 — the date on which the accounting period for the 2025/26 Premier League and EFL season closes and by which clubs must have balanced their books.

Fernandes is considered West Ham’s most sellable asset this summer. If the Hammers find themselves under pressure to raise funds before that end-of-month deadline, United’s decision to hold back their opening offer could give them meaningful leverage in negotiations.