Marcus Rashford, the 27-year-old England international, has joined Barcelona on a season-long loan from Manchester United, with an option for a permanent £30.3m (35m euros) transfer in 2026.
The first English player at the club since Gary Lineker in 1986, Rashford expressed excitement about joining the La Liga and cup double winners, telling Barcelona’s YouTube channel, “I feel like I’m at home… it’s a family place and a good place for good players to showcase their skills.”
He cited positive discussions with manager Hansi Flick, whose leadership of a young, successful team last season inspired his decision.
Rashford’s move follows a turbulent period at Manchester United, where he has not played since December 2024 after being dropped by manager Ruben Amorin for a perceived lack of effort. After a loan stint at Aston Villa in early 2025, where he made 17 appearances and earned an England recall, Rashford was among five players who requested to leave United, training separately from the squad.
His form had dipped significantly since a 30-goal 2022/23 season, with only eight goals in 2023/24, compounded by disciplinary issues under former manager Erik ten Hag, including incidents related to lateness and off-field behavior.
Barcelona will cover Rashford’s wages, reduced after he agreed to a pay cut, saving United £14–15m over the next year.
Rashford, who debuted for United in 2016 and scored 138 goals in 426 matches, winning five major trophies, expressed gratitude to his boyhood club while focusing on his “new chapter.”
He aims to help Barcelona’s young, ambitious squad win major titles, including the Champions League, and trained with his new teammates on July 22, 2025, ahead of a pre-season tour in Japan.
The move, while a coup for Barcelona, underscores United’s ongoing transition, with analysts noting the need to prioritize squad rebuilding over optics.
