Marcus Rashford's Barcelona dream transfer at risk as Premier League return twist tipped

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Marcus Rashford could be set for a Premier League return this summer , even if Barcelona opt to sign him from Manchester United . The Catalan club have always recognised the value in his loan-to-buy arrangement, to the extent they've contemplated selling him on immediately to help ease their own financial troubles.

That's according to La Liga expert Guillem Balague, who has lifted the lid on Barca's thinking regarding the matter. Rashford, 28, has shocked many with just how effective he's been in Spain, making his £26million purchase clause all the more attractive.

United were taken aback to discover Barcelona wanted to drive his price down even further . Doing so wouldn't just save them money initially but could earn the Catalans an even bigger profit should one of United's Premier League competitors make a bid for his services in the same transfer window.

"It was a loan because they couldn't pay for him, but £30m, they thought that if he did what was expected, they would pay for it," Balague told the Manchester Evening News . "Hopefully, they thought the finances would be in a situation where they didn't need to negotiate that.

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"But [Barcelona sporting director] Deco spoke to people at Aston Villa and Manchester United, and they were surprised that Manchester United let him go and that the price was only £30m at 27.

"So they found it was an opportunity in the market. There were two possibilities: If they liked him and did well, they buy him.

"But they could buy him anyway and sell him on in the Premier League still because he's got obviously a big market there. But his idea was always to stay. The club hadn't decided until recently what to do."

Barcelona hold the exclusive right to purchase Rashford for £26m. They had also been hopeful that Premier League clubs might be willing to pay a premium following his time in the spotlight at the Camp Nou.

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With that in mind, current indications suggest Barca would be perfectly happy to keep Rashford at the club. After all, it's rare that a player of his calibre at this point in his career becomes available for such a modest fee.

That's particularly true for a club in Barcelona's current financial predicament, still feeling the strain of the Camp Nou's recent renovation costs. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told Mirror Football in December how Barca's transfer budget this summer could hinge on Champions League glory, highlighting just how fragile their financial situation remains.

The fee Barcelona are prepared to sell Rashford for might still represent a discount compared to what United would demand from a domestic competitor. As such, it could interest a club like Villa, where he spent the second half of the 2024/25 season, to discover Barca's asking price.

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Rashford's resurgence started during his loan spell in Birmingham. Unai Emery revitalised the forward after his form declined under then-United boss Ruben Amorim, with Rashford proving particularly crucial in helping Villa progress in the Champions League .

Emery's team ultimately chose not to trigger the £40m purchase clause in the player's contract. However, 12 months later, there could be a chance for the club, or any of their Premier League competitors, to acquire him for roughly the same amount (or less) while Barca still make a healthy profit for their involvement.

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Balague's claim indicates Barca always had the option of selling for a swift profit at the back of their minds should they eventually decide against keeping Rashford permanently. He suggests that now, though, the likelihood of such a rapid sale has decreased following his outstanding performances for Barcelona.

"Now they want to keep him," he added. "They want to lower the £26m [€30m], but Manchester United will not touch that. And also, in the next few years, they want to offer less wages to Rashford."