Barcelona has been paying Marcus Rashford's salary in full during his loan spell, but his financial situation is set to shift. Rashford's salary will go back up to £315,000 per week next season if Manchester United qualifies for the Champions League, in keeping with the terms of his contract at Old Trafford, where his salary dropped by 25% this season after the club failed to qualify for the Champions League. This fluctuation adds complexity to any potential deal.
On the pitch, Barcelona is nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga and reached the Champions League quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Atletico Madrid in midweek. Despite this strong season, the club made a failed bid to renegotiate the £26 million fee with Manchester United. Manchester United is refusing to budge on that clause, which expires on June 15, four days after the World Cup kicks off in North America.
I just think there's decisions to be made in time, really, on certain things, and obviously Marcus is in that situation.
The two clubs are set to step up talks after the end of the season. Manchester United can negotiate with other clubs in the Premier League and Europe regarding Marcus Rashford, as the club tries to drive down their wage bill by offloading other top earners like Casemiro and Jadon Sancho. The club is on course to rejoin Europe's elite after reaching third place in the Premier League table ahead of Saturday night's trip to Chelsea.
Rashford spent his entire career at Manchester United before joining Aston Villa on loan last season, but it seems unlikely that he would be able to resurrect his Manchester United career. Ruben Amorim, the head coach who dumped Marcus Rashford into a 'bomb squad' last summer, was sacked in January. Head coach Michel Carrick has helped to revive the Manchester United careers of Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, but he was reluctant to be drawn on Rashford's future when he spoke at Carrington on Friday.
But at this point in time, nothing's been decided. And it will be, because it has to be at a certain point, but at this stage, there's nothing to say.
I think to comment either way this stage is just not the right thing to do, because there's uncertainties.
Certainly from my perspective, whoever's here, I want to work with, make the best out of, and help them improve.
So, at the moment, it's this squad of players, and there's obviously players on loan. Whatever happens with that later on will happen.