Barcelona Lurk as Villa Reject Rashford Option | OneFootball

Rashford Exit Strategy Hit as Aston Villa Opt Out

Villa move ends, leaving Man Utd searching again

Manchester United’s hopes of easing their summer rebuild have suffered a blow following Aston Villa’s decision not to exercise their £40 million buy option for Marcus Rashford.

The 27-year-old forward, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Villa Park, was viewed as a potential source of vital funds as United look to reshape their squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. With the club missing out on European football, offloading fringe players like Rashford is seen as essential to facilitating new signings.

However, Villa have informed United they will not proceed with a permanent move for the England international. Despite contributing four goals and five assists in 17 appearances across all competitions, Rashford’s output wasn’t deemed sufficient to justify the agreed fee.

Amorim not convinced by Rashford

Incoming manager Ruben Amorim does not view Rashford as central to his plans, and a sale remains firmly on the agenda for United’s hierarchy. Rashford is open to a move, and there was initial hope that his loan stint at Villa might evolve into a full-time transfer.

Villa’s withdrawal from the running significantly narrows United’s options, though it wasn’t entirely unexpected. The Midlands club are also parting ways with several other loanees and out-of-contract players, including Marco Asensio (PSG), Axel Disasi (Chelsea), Robin Olsen, and Kortney Hause.

Barcelona emerge but on loan terms

With Villa no longer in the frame, attention now turns elsewhere. Newcastle United have registered interest and are actively exploring a deal, but sources suggest that Rashford himself favours a move abroad – specifically to Barcelona.

That desire complicates matters for United. “Barcelona is the club he wants to join this summer,” a source close to the player revealed. The problem? The La Liga champions are not in a position to commit to a permanent deal and are instead only considering a loan – a scenario that would not support United’s financial objectives.

United face critical weeks in transfer planning

The challenge for United now is to find a suitor willing to meet their valuation of Rashford, or at least propose a structure that suits all parties. Given his pedigree, age, and international experience, there’s belief within the club that the forward still holds strong market appeal.

However, with other clubs aware of United’s need to sell, offers may fall short of expectations. Rashford’s future is now one of the key subplots of United’s summer – and how it unfolds could significantly influence the club’s ability to bring in fresh talent.