Marcus Rashford transfer agreement reached with Man Utd stance crystal clear | Football | Sport

Marcus Rashford now looks set to return to Manchester United in the summer, with Barcelona FC reportedly deciding against signing him permanently. The forward has been representing the Spanish giants throughout the campaign, having joined on loan in the summer.

The Catalan giants have the option to finalise the move on a permanent basis for approximately £26million when the summer transfer window opens. Reports suggest they have already made unsuccessful bids to negotiate a lower fee with United. Despite previous indications that Barcelona were ready to trigger the option, it now seems they have experienced a change of heart.

Spanish publication SPORT claims that manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco are in agreement that they are unwilling to commit to a deal, with the overall cost described as ‘too high’.

After a promising start to his loan spell, Rashford has fallen out of favour, appearing in the starting line-up in just two of the last eight La Liga fixtures.

Across his 44 appearances in all competitions this season, the forward has scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists.

The decision not to sign Rashford permanently is said to be ‘practically final’, and Barca are instead exploring alternative options in the position at a ‘much more affordable price.’

The report adds that Rashford is fully aware of his predicament, with his agents already working behind the scenes on potential solutions.

He remains under contract at United until 2028 and is reportedly ‘open’ to a return to the club.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, however, is reluctant to have Rashford back on the books. There is currently no desire to reintegrate the player into the squad, even if Michael Carrick remains as head coach.

Speaking about Rashford’s future earlier this month, Flick didn’t give too much away.