Marcus Rashford’s contract at Man Utd had an exit clause that ended on July 15. So, what’s going to happen now?
Any club interested in signing Marcus Rashford now has to talk directly with Manchester United, as the £40 million (€47.1m) release clause in his contract ended on July 15. With the World Cup wrapping up, Rashford is expected to go back to his boyhood club soon.
It’s been a bit of a confusing time for the 28-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Barcelona. He played regularly for the La Liga champions, scoring 14 goals and setting up 14 others across all competitions. At one point, it seemed like he might stay there permanently, but after Barcelona signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle, Rashford’s chances of joining the Spanish side dropped a lot.
In the end, Barcelona chose not to use the €30 million (£25.9m) buy option in his loan deal. So, for now, Rashford will train with his Manchester United teammates who played in the later stages of the World Cup. This could have been different if a club had offered £40 million to sign him.
Rashford had a clause that allowed him to leave United for £40 million this summer, but teams like Liverpool and Manchester City couldn’t use it. Since it expired this past Wednesday (July 15), any club wanting him now must negotiate directly with United.
According to The Athletic, Rashford has turned down offers that would have paid him more than his current deal at Old Trafford. Earlier this month, The i Paper said up to five clubs, including Newcastle and Aston Villa, were keeping an eye on him.
Newcastle is interested in Rashford as a possible replacement for Anthony Gordon, but his high weekly wage of around £325,000 might be a problem. As for Aston Villa, Rashford spent the second half of last season there on loan under coach Unai Emery.
When Rashford found out he was selected for England’s World Cup squad this summer, he praised Emery for helping him get back into top form and earn his spot. During the World Cup, Rashford shared that he hoped to sort out his future before the tournament started in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
“I live in the moment,” he said. “I was clear with everyone before the World Cup. I wanted it done before, and if not, I wouldn’t deal with it until after. I want to be fully focused right now. We’re fighting for something important, and I don’t want my energy split with other things.”