"Zero Interest" – Inside Manchester United's Failed Marcus Rashford Swap Attempt

Marcus Rashford is expected back at Manchester United for pre-season after his loan spell, but the club's attempts to move him on have hit a wall. United had hoped to sell the forward to Barcelona, but the Catalan giants refused to trigger the €30 million purchase option in his loan agreement last season. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Premier League side even tried to sweeten the deal by offering a swap involving Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal. Those sources claim United were willing to drop their asking price if Bernal was included. However, Barcelona rejected the proposal outright, and the player himself had "zero interest" in leaving Camp Nou this summer. With that avenue firmly closed, United have since moved on. They've completed deals for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, and while a third midfield addition is still being considered, it's expected to be a marquee name rather than a young prospect like Bernal. That leaves Rashford in limbo. Though United are prepared to let him train with the squad during pre-season, his high wages mean the club still wants to offload him. Tottenham and Aston Villa have been linked in the past, but after Roberto De Zerbi's side spent heavily already, a return to Villa – where Rashford played the second half of 2024/25 on loan – now appears the most realistic option. However, that move may only happen if Morgan Rogers leaves Villa Park. The England attacker has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, which could free up space for Rashford to come back.