Marcus Rashford Joins Barcelona on Loan from Manchester United in Blockbuster Transfer Deal
Story Written By Okafor Joseph July 19, 2025
Marcus Rashford Completes Dream Move to Barcelona in Sensational Loan Deal from Manchester United
England international Marcus Rashford has finalized a high-profile move to Spanish giants Barcelona, joining the La Liga champions from Manchester United on an initial loan deal. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the deal includes an option to make the move permanent during the 2026 summer transfer window.
The 27-year-old forward had been training separately from the Manchester United first-team squad following his return from pre-season, amid speculation about his future. Rashford, who has long admired Barcelona, is set to fulfill his dream of playing at Camp Nou under head coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona have reportedly agreed to cover Rashford’s full £300,000-per-week salary—an important condition set by Manchester United during negotiations.
Rashford is now expected to travel to Spain for his medical and join Barcelona’s pre-season tour in Asia. His potential debut could come on July 27 in a friendly match against Vissel Kobe.
Rashford’s departure marks the end of a significant era at Manchester United. Since his debut, the academy graduate has made 426 appearances, scored 138 goals, and provided 77 assists. However, tensions with head coach Ruben Amorim in the first half of last season led to a fallout that eventually pushed him out of the club’s plans.
The England star spent the latter half of the 2024/2025 season on loan at Aston Villa, where he registered 4 goals and 6 assists in 17 games. Despite Villa having a £40 million buy option, they opted not to make the deal permanent.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has been a long-time admirer of Rashford and played a key role in pushing for the transfer. With the club missing out on Nico Williams and Liverpool’s Luis Diaz due to cost constraints, Rashford emerged as the ideal target to strengthen their attack.
Rashford is expected to compete for a spot on the wings alongside Raphinha and rising star Lamine Yamal, as Barcelona aim to defend their La Liga title and make a deeper run in the UEFA Champions League.
This transfer is being hailed as smart business for Manchester United, who offload a high earner while keeping the door open for a potential sale, and for Barcelona, who secure a world-class attacker with minimal upfront risk.
